Chapter 3.2
Formal Amendment
*The U.S. Constitution has lasted over 200 years. This is much longer than any
other written constitution in the world. The reason it has survived is because of
amendments.
*Amendments have allowed the constitution to grow and change with the people
and the times.
1. Four Methods of Formal Amendments:
1. Proposed by congress by 2/3 vote in both houses.
2. Proposed by congress then ratified in 3/4 (38) of the states.
3. Proposed by national convention when requested by 2/3 (34) of the states,
then ratified by state legislature of 3/4 (38) of the states.
4. Proposed by a national convention, then ratified by conventions held in 3/4
(38) states.
2. The 27 Amendments:
 The Bill of Rights- guarantees the freedom of belief and expression,
security, and equal treatment of before the law.
 Later Amendments- These were added to the constitution over the last
200 years.
Chapter 3.3 Informal Amendment
1. Informal Amendment: The process by which many changes have been
made in the Constitution, which have not involved any changes to its
written words.
 Informal Amendments are the result of day-to-day/year-to-year
experiences of the government.
 Informal Amendments occur much more quickly than formal
amendments.
2. Informal Amendments occur in 5 basic ways:
1. Passage of basic legislation: New laws that congress passes such as
presidential succession, departments of government (department of labor)
2. Actions taken by the President: Acts of war or executive agreements
which is a pact made by the president and the head of a foreign country.
3. Key Decisions of the Supreme Court: Roe V. Wade
4. Party Practices: Nominations for president.
5. Customs: Presidential cabinet, Presidential terms in office.
Name:________________________________Hour:_________
Chapter 3 Study Guide:
1. What is an Amendment?
2. Explain “Rule of Law”.
3. What are the seven number sections
of the Constitution called?
4. What is separation of power, and
how does our constitution provide for
it?
5. What is the system of checks and
balances designed to do?
6. What is popular sovereignty?
7. Which amendment process is the
result of daily or yearly experiences of
the government?
8. Define unconstitutional.
9. Define federalism.
10. Define informal amendment.
11. What type of informal amendment
process would the president’s cabinet
be considered?
12. What is judicial review?
13. In most cases involving judicial
review, what has the outcome been?
14. Explain the idea of limited
government?
1.
2.
15. ***don’t forget, #15 is D***
16. The use of the electoral college as a
“rubber stamp” for the popular vote, is
the result of which informal
amendment process?
17. What are the first 10 amendments
of the constitution called?
18. Explain what an executive
agreement is.
19. What is the 18th constitutional
amendment? What amendment
repealed the 18th amendment?
20. What was the 22nd amendment?
21. How many years after the creation
of the constitution did the “Bill of
Rights” get added?
1.
2.