Читать книгу The Handy Law Answer Book - David L Hudson - Страница 12
How many constitutional amendments have been enacted?
ОглавлениеThere have been only 27 amendments to the U.S. Constitution in over two centuries. The first ten amendments were added only four years after the ratification of the Constitution. These ten amendments are collectively known as “the Bill of Rights.” The next amendments were added at various times in the nation’s history.
The Amendments to the U.S. Constitution
| Amendment | Issue Addressed |
| 1st Amendment | Freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition |
| 2nd Amendment | Right to bear arms |
| 3rd Amendment | No quartering of troops in private homes |
| 4th Amendment | No unreasonable searches and seizures |
| 5th Amendment | Right to grand jury, no double jeopardy, freedom from self-incrimination, due process and just compensation |
| 6th Amendment | Speedy trial, public trial, notice of charges, compulsory process, confrontation clause and assistance of counsel |
| 7th Amendment | Right to jury trials in civil cases |
| 8th Amendment | No excessive bail, fines or cruel and unusual punishment |
| 9th Amendment | Asserts unenumerated (nonlisted) rights; that is, that the Bill of Rights provides individual rights beyond those listed in the first eight amendments (e.g., right to privacy) |
| 10th Amendment | Affirms a basic principle of federalism, that power is divided between federal and state governments; reserves powers to the states |
| 11th Amendment | Asserts state sovereign immunity, which shields states from many lawsuits |
| 12th Amendment | President and vice president must be from same political party |
| 13th Amendment | Outlaws slavery and involuntary servitude |
| 14th Amendment | Citizenship, rights of equal protection and due process |
| 15th Amendment | Right to vote |
| 16th Amendment | Income tax |
| 17th Amendment | Popular election of senators |
| 18th Amendment | Prohibition of alcohol |
| 19th Amendment | Right of women to vote |
| 20th Amendment | Date of presidential swearing-in; solves lame-duck problem |
| 21st Amendment | Repeals the Eighteenth Amendment; no Prohibition |
| 22nd Amendment | Limits presidents to two full terms (eight years) |
| 23rd Amendment | District of Columbia; voting for president |
| 24th Amendment | No poll tax |
| 25th Amendment | Line of succession upon president’s death |
| 26th Amendment | Voting age becomes 18 |
| 27th Amendment | Congressional pay raises |
