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The History of the U.S. - Through its Constitutional Amendments

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The History of the U.S. - Through its Constitutional Amendments. Article V of the Constitution provides for making changes, or amendments to the document. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: The History of the U.S. -  Through its Constitutional  Amendments
Page 2: The History of the U.S. -  Through its Constitutional  Amendments

Article V. The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.

Page 3: The History of the U.S. -  Through its Constitutional  Amendments
Page 4: The History of the U.S. -  Through its Constitutional  Amendments

Several of the amendments in the Bill of Rights were a reflection of the recent experience of the colonists who had been denied a voice when various acts and laws were passed by Britain.

Page 5: The History of the U.S. -  Through its Constitutional  Amendments

Several of the amendments in the Bill of Rights were a reflection of the recent experience of the colonists who had been denied a voice when various acts and laws were passed by Britain.

For example: #3 was a reaction to the QuarteringAct enacted by the British #4 came as a result of the “generalsearches” done by the British in hopesof finding evidence of crimes so they could press criminal charges #5 & #6 specified rights not extendedto colonists during British rule, some of whom were charged and taken toBritain for trial, extending time and notproviding for due process

Page 6: The History of the U.S. -  Through its Constitutional  Amendments

Originally, the procedure in Presidentialelection was to award the presidency to the highest vote-getter and the vice-presidency to the second highest. This did not work well in the election of 1796,where opposing candidates from different political parties became the President(John Adams) and Vice-President(Thomas Jefferson).

Amendment XII required the electors to Cast separate votes for President andVice-President.

Page 7: The History of the U.S. -  Through its Constitutional  Amendments

Amendments XIII, XIV, and XV are known as the Civil War Amendments

Amendment XIIIAbolished slaveryThroughout the United States

Amendment XIVDefined citizenship, giving African-Americansequal rights and guaranteeing those rights.

This overturned the controversial Dred ScottDecision of 1856, and made “Black Codes” illegal.

Amendment XVGuaranteed the

right to vote to all US citizens regardless

of race, color, orpast service as a slave

Page 8: The History of the U.S. -  Through its Constitutional  Amendments

Amendment XVIII – ProhibitionIn response to the national pressure of the temperancemovement.

Page 9: The History of the U.S. -  Through its Constitutional  Amendments

Amendment XVIII – ProhibitionIn response to the national pressure of the temperancemovement.

But by 1933, the country had enoughof bootlegging, rum running, moon-shine, speakeasies – and the GreatDepression – and Prohibition wasrepealed with Amendment XXI.

Page 10: The History of the U.S. -  Through its Constitutional  Amendments

Only 144 years after declaringIndependence, women receivedThe right to vote!

Page 11: The History of the U.S. -  Through its Constitutional  Amendments

Amendment XXIV – Outlawed poll taxes in federal electionsTaxes required for voting clearly discriminated

against the poor, and especially African Americansin the South. The Civil Rights Movement of the

1950’s & early 1960’s were clearly an influence.

Amendment XXII – Limited the President to 2 terms (or 10Years). Passed after Franklin Roosevelt had served 3 full

terms and had begun a 4th.

Amendment XXV – Clarified the procedure for fillingVacancies in the office of the President or Vice-President.

The timing (1967) coincided with the aftermath of theKennedy assassination and the questions that arose if

the President were incapacitated or if both the Presidentand Vice-President were to be unable to serve.

Page 12: The History of the U.S. -  Through its Constitutional  Amendments

Amendment XXVI – Lowered the voting age from21 to 18. After several years of the Viet Nam

Conflict, and anti-war protests, lawmakers finallytook seriously those who proclaimed, “If they

are old enough to fight and die for their country,they should be old enough to vote!”

Page 13: The History of the U.S. -  Through its Constitutional  Amendments