American Government & Politics
POL 105
Erik Rankin – Final Constitution Lecture
The Bill of Rights – 14th Amendment
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Section 1
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Clause 1
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Clause 2
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Rights due to citizenship may not be denied by a state in
any way. EX – to travel, to vote, engage in interstate
commerce
Clause 3
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Response to Dred Scott case, citizen of the nation is
independent of state citizenship
Applied 5th amendment Due Process to states and the
protection of life, liberty, and property
Clause 4
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Equal protection, preventing the state from discriminating
actions towards any group
Originally based on race and later included gender
The Bill of Rights – 14th Amendment
Sections 2-4 are obsolete
 Section 5 – gives constitutional authority
to Congress to enforce through law
provision in the 14th amendment
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Ex: Civil Rights Acts of 1960 (public
accomodations),1964 (Fair Housing),1991
(EEOC)
The Bill of Rights – 15th Amendment
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Section 1
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Right to vote cannot be denied because of
race
Section 2
Congress has the right to legislate on this
 Ex: Voting Rights Act of 1965, strengthened
in 1975, 1982
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The Bill of Rights – 16th Amendment
Ratified in 1913
 Congress can set and collect income
taxes
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The Bill of Rights – 17th Amendment
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Superseded Article I Section 3
Senators are directly elected by the citizens
of that state and not by state legislatures
 Vacated seats may have them filled by the
governor until the next election
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The Bill of Rights – 18th Amendment
Prohibition
 Ratified in 1919
 Repealed by the 21st amendment
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The Bill of Rights – 19th Amendment
Right to vote shall not be denied to
women
 Ratified in 1920
 Congress can enforce this article through
legislation
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The Bill of Rights – 20th Amendment
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Terms of President and Vice President
Ratified in 1933
 Originally Pres & VP took office in March
 This eliminated the lame duck period and
installed the Pres & VP on Jan
 Congress adjourns before the elections and
does not reseat until the 3rd of January
 Also sets up solution to 3 person lack of
majority in electoral College
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 Vice
President serves until the House decides the
winner
The Bill of Rights – 21st Amendment
Repealed the 18th amendment
 Back to the Keg!!!
 Only amendment ratified by conventions
rather than state legislatures
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They were used to specifically deal with just
the alcoholic beverage issue
The Bill of Rights – 22nd Amendment
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Presidential Term Limits
Ratified in 1951
 Limits the presidency to two terms
 VP who assumes office after a death of the
Pres. may still hold two terms in addition to
the years of elevation
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The Bill of Rights – 23rd Amendment
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Presidential Vote for the District of
Columbia
Ratified in 1961
 Residents of the District of Columbia may
vote for a president and VP
 They have as many electoral votes as the
smallest state
 Always have at least 3 electoral votes
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The Bill of Rights – 24th Amendment
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Barring Poll Tax in federal elections
Ratified in 1964
 No taxes may be levied against a voter in
a federal election
 Left the window open for state poll taxes,
but this has been struck down as
unconstitutional by the Supreme Court as
well
 Payments said to violate the 14th
amendments equal protection clause
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The Bill of Rights – 25th Amendment
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Presidential Disability and Succession
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Ratified in 1967
If a president considers himself unable to perform
the duties of his office for any reason must notify the
Speaker and the President Pro Tempore
The VP then becomes acting president until the
president chooses to return
Don’t always have to hear from Pres., he may be
incapacitated and the same procedure occurs
Pres. May appoint new VP with majority in both
houses confirming
What if there is no VP?
Ever used?
The Bill of Rights – 26thAmendment
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Lowering the voting age to 18
Congress had no way to set voting age limits
until this amendment
 Ratified in less than 3 months- quick!
 18 to vote in any election, but don’t try and
buy beer!
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The Bill of Rights – 27th Amendment
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Congressional Pay
Ratified in 1992
 Written by James Madison
 38 of 50 states voted in favor and it
finally passed
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 Only
a little over 200 years later, why the
rush?