THE AMENDMENT PROCESS

1
THE AMENDMENT PROCESS
2

• The US Constitution IS and IS NOT the same
  document written in 1787.
• Some Words have been eliminated, some have been
  added.

3
Keys to help

• To amend means to change
• To propose means to suggest
• To ratify means to approve or pass
• 2/3 will always apply to the federal Gov't
• ¾ will always apply to the states
• Federal Gov't will always propose
• States will always ratify
• By having the federal government propose and the
  states ratify, what basic principle of the
  constitution is at work?

4
FORMAL AMENDMENT PROCESS

• Process explained in Article V of the
  Constitution
• Two Methods of Ratification
• First-- Proposed by 2/3 of Congress/Ratified by
  ¾ of State Legislatures
• 26 of 27 Amendments adopted this way

5

• SecondProposed by 2/3 of Congress/Ratified by ¾
  of special State Conventions
• 21st Amendment adopted this way (Repealing
  Prohibition)

6
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS

• Congress does not present a proposed amendment to
  the president for his signature or veto.

7
Proposed Amendments Continued

• States can change their minds if they first
  reject an amendment (not the opposite)
• 33 Made it to the states
• 10,000 Amendments proposed in Congress.
• Only 27 finally ratified
• Congress can set deadlines for the ratification
  time allowed

8
CONSTITUTIONAL BREAKDOWN

• Preamble States the purpose
• Article I Legislative Power Congress
• Elastic Clause, Also known as ?
• Free Exercise Clause
• Establishment Clause
• Article II Executive Power - President
• Article III Judicial Power Courts
• Article IV Relations between the states
• Article V The Amendment Process

9
CONSTITUTIONAL BREAKDOWN

• Article VI General Provisions, Supremacy of the
  Constitution
• Article VII Ratification Process
• Bill of Rights First 10 Amendments in
  Constitution

10
SUPREMACY CLAUSE

• Article VI, Section 2
• If ever the state government and federal
  government conflict on an issue, the federal
  government reigns supreme
• The Constitution is the highest form of law in
  the American legal system.

11
As a refresher

• How many methods of Ratification are there?
• What percentage is needed for an amendment to be
  proposed?
• What percentage is needed for ratification?
• How many amendments do we currently have today?
• How many are in usage today?

12
HOMEWORK

• Learning about the amendments helps you
  understand your freedom's.
• Your homework tonight is to think about the
  amendments we have learned about and describe by
  writing an amendment that you would add to the
  Constitution.
• What do you think is missing in this great
  country?
• What impact would the Amendment have on society
  and our lives?
• Please be school appropriate ?