Formal Amendment
of the Constitution
Carl Johnson
Government
Jenks High School
Background
• Our Constitution has been in
existence for over 200 years
–Longer than any other
–Was originally intended for an
agricultural nation
–The constitution has been changed
and modified, and yet a lot of it still
remains the same
The Formal Amendment
Process
• The framers knew that the
constitution as they wrote it could
not never be changed
– They built in a process that provides for
it’s amendment
– Article V of the Constitution sets the
provisions for the proposal and
ratification of new constitutional
amendments
– There are 4 possible ways that the
Constitution can be formally amended
The Formal Amendment
Process
• Method 1:
Proposal: By a 2/3rd’s vote in each
house of Congress
Ratification: Ratified by the state
legislatures in 3/4th’s (38) of the
states
• 26 of the 27 amendments have been
adopted in this manner
The Formal Amendment
Process
• Method 2:
Proposal: By a 2/3rd’s vote in each
house of Congress
Ratification: Ratified by conventions
in 3/4th’s (38) of the states
• Only 1 of the 27 amendments have
been adopted in this manner (the 21st
amendment)
The Formal Amendment
Process
• Method 3:
Proposal: Proposed by a national
convention, called by Congress at
the request of 2/3rd’s (34) of the
state’s legislatures
Ratification: Ratified by the state
legislatures in 3/4th’s (38) of the
states
• No amendments have been adopted in
this manner
The Formal Amendment
Process
• Method 4:
Proposal: Proposed by a national
convention, called by Congress at
the request of 2/3rd’s (34) of the
state’s legislatures
Ratification: Ratified by conventions
in 3/4th’s (38) of the states
• No amendments have been adopted in
this manner