The
Amendments
Holmen Middle School 8th Grade
Amendment 1
1791
Religious and Political Freedom
• Freedom of religion
• No establishment of an official
religion or prohibiting free exercise of
(separation of church and state)
• Freedom of the press
• Freedom of speech
• Freedom of assembly
• Freedom to petition
Amendment 2
1791
Right to Bear Arms
• Right to own a firearm
Amendment 3
1791
Quartering Troops
• Right to protection from troops being
quartered in homes during peacetime.
Amendment 4
1791
Search & Seizure:
• Right against unreasonable search and
seizure (persons, houses,& papers)
• Warrants require probable cause and
must be specific
Amendment 5
1791
Rights of Accused Persons
• must be indicted by a Grand Jury
• cannot be tried for the same crime twice
(double jeopardy)
• cannot be forced to testify against yourself
• right to a fair trial with all proper legal rights
enforced (due process)
• right to fair compensation when the Gov’t takes
your property for public use (eminent domain)
Amendment 6
1791
Right to a Speedy, Public Trial
• Right to be informed of the charges
against you
• Right to a trial where committed crime
• Right to a speedy and public trial
• Right to an impartial jury
• Right to face witnesses against you in
court
• Right to counsel (a lawyer)
• Right to call witnesses in your defense
Amendments 7 & 8
1791
#7: Trial by Jury in Civil Cases
• Right to a trial by jury in a civil case
(non-criminal case) if exceeds twenty
dollars
#8: Limits of Fines
and Punishment
Amendment 9
1791
Rights of People
• Guarantee that rights not
listed in the Constitution are
still protected and retained by the
people
Amendment 10
1791
Powers of States and People
• Guarantee that the people and the states
have all of the powers not specifically
delegated the federal government (reserved
powers)
Amendment 11
1795
Lawsuits Against States: state immunity
• Limits the ability of a person to sue a state
• Allows a person to sue if a state denies their
rights
Amendment 12
1804
Election of Executives: President and Vice President
• Electors to the Electoral College are to cast one vote
for President and separate vote for Vice President
• The House elects the President if no candidate gets
an electoral majority (each state w/1 vote)
• The Senate elects the Vice President if no candidate
gets an electoral majority
Amendment 13
1865
Slavery Abolished
• Slavery is no longer legal
Amendment 14
1868
Equal Protection under law:
• All citizens are guaranteed equal treatment and
protection under the law (due process) / no
state can deny rights
• Bars former Confederates from holding office
• Declares Confederate debt null and void
Amendment 15
1870
Right to Vote
• Insured all men the right to vote,
not dependent on color of skin
Amendment 16
1913
Income Tax
• Grants Congress the power to collect taxes on
income
• Money collected does not have to be
reapportioned to states based on population
Amendment 17
1913
Direct Election of Senators
• Senators are to be elected by the
people
Amendment 18
Prohibition
1919
• After one year from the ratification
of this amendment, the sale,
manufacturing, transportation, or
importation of alcohol is illegal
Amendment 19
1920
Women’s Suffrage
• Women are granted the right to
vote
Amendment 20
1933
“Lame Duck” Sessions
• President and Vice President are sworn
into office on Jan. 20th (moved from
March 4th)
• Congress meets at least once a year on
Jan. 3rd
Amendment 21
1933
Repeal of Prohibition
• Alcohol can again be served,
bought, and sold legally
Amendment 22
1951
Limit of Presidential Terms
• No person can serve in the Presidency
more than two terms
• They can serve two years of the previous
presidency if the President is unable to
complete his term
Amendments 23 & 24
1961 & 1964
#23: Voting in the District
of Columbia
• D.C. has three electoral college votes
#24: Abolition of Poll Taxes
• Poll taxes illegal in
federal elections
Amendment 25
1967
Presidential Disability and Succession
• In case of removal from office, the Vice
President shall become President
• If vacancy in VP office, President shall nominate
a candidate and be subject to approval by
majority vote in both houses of Congress
• If President unable to serve,
power will be signed over to VP
Amendment 26
1971
18-Year-Old Vote
• Any citizen 18 years or older shall
not be denied the right to vote
Amendment 27
1992
Congressional Pay
• No change in pay (raises) shall
take effect until after the next
Congressional election
Categories of Amendments
Personal Liberties
#1: Freedoms Amendment
#2: Right to Bear Arms
#9: Rights of the People
#10: Power of the States and the
People
#14: Equal protection under the
Law
Categories of Amendments
Policing
#3: No Quartering of Troops
#4: Search and Seizure Rights
Categories of Amendments
Rights of the Accused
#5: Rights of the Accused
#6: Right to a Speedy Trial
#7: Trial by Jury
#8: No Excessive
punishment or
fines
Categories of Amendments
States’ Rights
#11: State Immunity In Lawsuits
Categories of Amendments
President/Executive Rights
#12: Election of Executive Branch
#20: “Lame Duck” Sessions
#22: Term Limit on President
#25: Presidential Disability and
Succession
Categories of Amendments
Slavery
#13: Abolition of Slavery
Categories of Amendments
Voting Rights
#15: All Males Right to Vote
#17: Direct Election of
Senators
#19: Women’s Suffrage
#23: Voting in D.C.
#24: Abolition of Poll Taxes
#26: 18-Year-Old Vote
Categories of Amendments
Taxes/Regulations
#16: Income Tax
#18: Prohibition
#21: Prohibition Repealed
Categories of Amendments
Congress
#27: Congressional Payment