Big Idea: How did we get all 27 amendments are WHY do they even matter????

Amending the Constitution

-To amend means to= change-We have amended the Constitution 27 times -Because we can amend our Constitution, we call the

Constitution a “living document” -There are 2 steps necessary to amend the

Constitution

Idea to amend must be proposed by: Two-thirds of both houses of Congress (the Senate and the House of Representatives) 

Three-fourths

Step 1: Proposal

Step 2: Ratification

Did we understand what happened before?1. What are the 2 steps needed to amend the Constitution called?

2. What proportion (fraction) of both houses of Congress need to propose an amendment? What proportion (fraction) of state legislatures need to ratify an amendment?

3. THINK: Do you think it is easy or hard to amend the Constitution? Why do you think we have it this way?

Propose then ratify

Propose: 2/3 of both housesRatify: 3/4 of state legislatures

Amendment # What it says Remember it!

11th citizen of one state can't sue another state in federal court (has to be in Supreme Court)

Basically if you're from Texas you can't sue someone from Oklahoma in Federal Court

One on One, State vs. State, cannot

go to Federal Court.

12th Voters will vote for 1 President and 1 Vice President.

(Before this, whoever came in second place became Vice President).

Not 1, but 2 separate votes for for Pres and

VP

13th Ends Slavery!

1, 3 I’m Free! It’s the end of SLAVERY!

14th Gives all citizens equal protection under the law.

Used to end segregation. (didn’t actually work until the 20th century…do we still have segregation in the 21st century?)

All for one and 1 4 ALL, equal rights for all Americans

15th All male citizens can vote, including former slaves. Voting= “suffrage”

15 wrote that ALL men can

vote

16th Congress can collect an income tax (a tax on what Americans make in income)

It’s April 16, you forgot to think and pay your income tax!

(They are due April 15th)

17th US senators will be elected by the people, not chosen by state legislatures

SEventeen for SEnators NOT elected by the

states

18th Prohibited (made illegal) the sale of alcohol. This was known as prohibition

At 18 you can’t drink, but you can vote!

*Only amendment to ever be repealed

19th Women’s suffrage: Women now have the right to vote.

1, 9 isn’t she fine, now

women can vote

20th The President’s inauguration (starting day) date moves up from March 20th to January 20th

20 is for Jan 20, the

inauguration date

21st Repeals (cancels) Prohibition (18th Amendment) and made alcohol legal

You can drink again, you’re

21!

22nd President can only serve two terms AT MOST as president, so Eight Years Max

Two Twos = Two Terms

23rd Washington DC now gets to have THREE electoral votes (representatives) in the electoral college

Twenty THREE, gives 3 to

Washington DC (3 Electoral

Votes)

24th There can be no poll taxes. You cannot be forced to pay a few in order to vote.

At 24 youre Poor, can’t

afford a Poll Tax

24, no poll tax at the door

25th Sets up line of succession. If the President dies, the VP is President. If the VP dies, the Speaker of the House is President.

25 you can only be President if

you’re alive

26th Makes eighteen the national voting age

2 + 6 = EIGHT teen you can

vote!

27th Congress CANNOT make pay raises while current Senators and Representatives are in office

27, Congress can’t raise its

pay to heaven.

Guided/Independent Practice

• There are letters posted around the room. Your job? To find ALL of them and write the NUMBER and a DESCRIPTION of that particular amendment.

• This looks like: A. The 13th amendment was the amendment

that…

ESenators

State Legislators

People vote

CWomenSuffrage

Equal to men

FPresident2 terms8 years

ASlavery

Civil WarFreedom

DCongressPay RaiseHeaven

BProhibition

AlcoholIllegal

KWashington DC

3 votesElectoral College

IPollTax

Poor

LPresident

Vice PresidentSeparate Votes

GLaw suits

State v. StateSupreme Court

JEqual

No SegregationTreatment

HPresident

DiesVice

President

QPresident

Inauguration20th

O18

Voting ageRights

MApril 16th

Income taxLaw

PMen

SuffrageBlack=white

NAlcohol

RepealedLegal