How to change the Consitution

The Formal Amendment
Process
• Formal Amendment
– Changes or additions that become a part of the written language of the Constitution itself.
• There are 4 methods to formally amending the Constitution.

First Method
• An amendment may be proposed by a two-thirds majority in each house of Congress.
• This proposed Amendment will then be ratified by three-quarters of the State legislatures.
• 26 of today’s 27 Constitutional Amendments were adopted this way.

Second Method
• An amendment may be proposed by
Congress and then ratified by conventions in threefourths of the States.
• The 21 st Amendment was adopted this way.

Third Method
• An Amendment may be proposed by a national convention, called by Congress at the request of two-thirds of the State legislatures.
• Must be ratified by three fourths of the
State legislatures.

Fourth Method
• Amendment may be proposed at a national convention and ratified by conventions in three fourths of States.

Amending the Constitution
Step 1
Amendment Is Proposed
Step 2
Amendment is Ratified
27 Amends.
2/3 vote both chambers
¾ state legislatures
21 st amend
2/3 national convention
¾ state conventions

The Informal Process of
Changing the Constitution
• Congressional laws
• Congress has added to the meaning of the
Constitution by passing legislation.
• Supreme Court
Decisions
• Court decisions set a judicial precedent in the interpretation of the Constitution.
• Example. Roe v. Wade

The Daily Show
Correspondents Explain the
Amendments
• http://www.thedailyshow.com/collections/correspondent s-explain

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• On page 77, answer questions 1 – 4.