been adopted. And two of them—Prohibition and its repeal—cancel each other
out, so that overall only 15 amendments have been added since 1791, despite
vast changes in American society and its economy.
Four methods of amendment are provided for in Article V:
1. Passage in House and Senate by two-thirds vote; then ratification by majority vote of the legislatures of three-fourths (now 38) of the states.
2. Passage in House and Senate by two-thirds vote; then ratification by conventions called for that purpose in three-fourths of the states.
3. Passage in a national convention called by Congress in response to petitions
by two-thirds (now 34) of the states; ratification by majority vote of the
legislatures of three-fourths of the states.
4. Passage in a national convention, as in method 3; then ratification by conventions called for that purpose in three-fourths of the states.
(Figure 2.2 illustrates each of these methods.) Because no amendment has ever
been proposed by national convention, however, routes 3 and 4 have never been
Figure 2.2
ROUTES OF AMENDMENT
THE NATIONAL LEVEL:
PROPOSAL OF
AMENDMENTS
THE STATE LEVEL:
RATIFICATION OF
AMENDMENTS
Route 1
C
A
Passage in House
and Senate, each by
two-thirds vote*
B
Passage in a national
convention called by
Congress in
response to petitions
by two-thirds (34)
of the states**
Route 2
Route 3
Route 4
Acceptance by
majority vote in the
legislatures of
three-fourths (38)
of the states
D
Acceptance by
conventions called
for that purpose in
three-fourths (38)
of the states
* In each amendment proposal, Congress has the power to choose the method of ratification, the
time limit for consideration by the states, and other conditions of ratification.
** This method of proposal has never been employed. Thus amendment routes 3 and 4 have never
been attempted.
Changing the Institutional Framework: Constitutional Amendment
63