Article V: Amendment Process (1787)
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress….
Amendment I: Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition (1791)
- Guarantees freedoms concerning religion, expression, assembly, and the right to petition.
Amendment II: Right to Bear Arms (1791)
- Protects the right to keep and bear arms.
Amendment III: Quartering of Soldiers (1791)
- Prohibits the quartering of soldiers in private homes without the owner’s consent.
Amendment IV: Search and Seizure (1791)
- Protects against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Amendment V: Protection of Rights to Life, Liberty, and Property (1791)
- Includes protections for due process of law and the right against self-incrimination.
Amendment VI: Rights of Accused Persons in Criminal Cases (1791)
- Guarantees the rights of criminal defendants, including the right to a speedy and public trial.
Amendment VII: Rights in Civil Cases (1791)
- Provides for the right to trial by jury in certain civil cases.
Amendment VIII: Excessive Bail, Fines, and Punishments Forbidden (1791)
- Prohibits excessive bail, fines, and cruel and unusual punishments.
Amendment IX: Other Rights Kept by the People (1791)
- States that the people retain rights not listed in the Constitution.
Amendment X: Undelegated Powers Kept by the States and the People (1791)
- Asserts that powers not delegated to the United States, nor prohibited to the States, are reserved to the States or the people.
Amendment XI: Authority of Federal Courts Restricted (1795)
- Limits the jurisdiction of the federal courts.
Amendment XII: Choosing the President, Vice-President (1804)
- Revises the procedure for electing the President and Vice-President.
Amendment XIII: Slavery Outlawed (1865)
- Abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude.
Amendment XIV: Civil Rights (1868)
- Defines citizenship, contains the Privileges or Immunities Clause, the Due Process Clause, the Equal Protection Clause, and deals with post-Civil War issues.
Amendment XV: Voting Rights (1870)
- Prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Amendment XVI: Income Tax (1913)
- Allows Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states or basing it on the U.S. Census.
Amendment XVII: Direct Election of Senators (1913)
- Establishes the direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote.
Amendment XVIII: Liquor Outlawed (1919)
- Prohibits the manufacture, sale, or transportation of alcoholic beverages (Repealed by the Twenty-first Amendment).
Amendment XIX: Women’s Suffrage (1920)
- Guarantees women the right to vote.
Amendment XX: Terms of the President and Congress; Replacing the President (1933)
- Changes the dates for the start of presidential, vice-presidential, and congressional terms, outlines the presidential succession process.
Amendment XXI: Control of Liquor Returned to the States (1933)
- Repeals the Eighteenth Amendment, giving states the power over alcohol laws.
Amendment XXII: President Limited to Two Terms (1951)
- Limits the president to two terms or a maximum of ten years in office.
Amendment XXIII: Voters in the District of Columbia Given the Right to Vote for President (1961)
- Grants voters in the District of Columbia the right to vote for President and Vice-President.
Amendment XXIV: Poll Taxes Barred (1964)
- Prohibits the use of poll taxes in federal elections.
Amendment XXV: Presidential Disability and Succession (1967)
- Clarifies the process of presidential succession and outlines procedures for presidential disability.
Amendment XXVI: Voting Age Set to 18 Years (1971)
- Lowers the voting age from 21 to 18.
Amendment XXVII: Limits on Congressional Pay Increases (1992)
- Delays laws affecting Congressional salary from taking effect until after the next election of representatives.
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