Formal Amendment
American Government
Amending the Constitution
• The U.S. Constitution has been in force over 200 years,
longer than any other Constitution in the world.
• The Constitution has evolved to meet the needs of the
United States as times have changed.
• There are two ways to modify the U.S. Constitution: formal
amendment and by informal means.
• Formal amendment is the process by which amendments are
added to the Constitution.
Formal Amendment Process
• Article V of the Constitution
sets out the amendment
process.
• It consists of two stages, proposal
and ratification.
• There are four possible
methods of formal amendment,
which refers to changes or
additions that become part of
the written language of the
Constitution itself.
Federalism and Popular Sovereignty
• The formal amendment process emphasizes federalism.
• Proposal takes place at the national level, and ratification
takes place at the state level.
• Popular sovereignty is also important to the amendment
process because changes to the Constitution will reflect the
will of the people.
Proposed Amendments
• The Constitution places only one restriction on amendments, stating
that “no State, without its consent, shall be deprived of ifs suffrage in
the Senate.” (Article V)
• When both houses of Congress pass a resolution to propose an amendment,
the proposed amendment goes to the states.
• If a state rejects a proposed amendment, it may later reconsider and ratify the
proposal.
• If a state approves an amendment, that action is final and unchangeable.
• Over 10,000 resolutions calling for amendments have been proposed in Congress – only
33 of them were sent to the states.
Amendments to the Constitution
The Bill of Rights
• Bill of Rights – First 10
Amendments to the U.S.
Constitution.
• Added to Constitution to
address anti-Federalist
concerns.
• Added less than three years
after Constitution was adopted.
• Protect individual rights and
freedoms from the government.
Later Amendments
• Each later amendment grew out of a particular set of
circumstances.
• Among the later amendments:
• 13-15 – “Civil War Amendments”
• 17 – Allowed for popular election of Senators
• 19 – Women’s Suffrage
• 22 – Limited Presidential Terms
• 26 – Changed voting age to 18