amendment

1st Amendment (1791)

Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition; includes Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause.

2nd Amendment (1791)

Right to Bear Arms; protects individual gun ownership.

3rd Amendment (1791)

Quartering of Soldiers; prohibits housing soldiers in homes without consent in peacetime.

4th Amendment (1791)

Search and Seizure; protects against unreasonable searches and requires warrants based on probable cause.

5th Amendment (1791)

Rights in Criminal Cases; includes protection against double jeopardy and self-incrimination.

6th Amendment (1791)

Right to a Fair Trial; includes speedy trial, impartial jury, right to counsel.

7th Amendment (1791)

Trial by Jury in Civil Cases; guarantees jury trials for federal civil cases over $20.

8th Amendment (1791)

Bail, Fines, and Punishment; prohibits excessive bail and cruel punishment.

9th Amendment (1791)

Unenumerated Rights; acknowledges that people have rights beyond those explicitly listed.

10th Amendment (1791)

Reserved Powers to the States; powers not given to the federal government are retained by the states.

11th Amendment (1795)

Sovereign Immunity; limits lawsuits against states in federal courts.

12th Amendment (1804)

Presidential Elections; separates electoral votes for president and vice president.

13th Amendment (1865)

Abolition of Slavery; ends slavery and involuntary servitude.

14th Amendment (1868)

Citizenship and Equal Protection; defines citizenship and ensures equal protection under the law.

15th Amendment (1870)

Right to Vote – Race; prohibits voting discrimination based on race.

16th Amendment (1913)

Federal Income Tax; allows Congress to levy income taxes.

17th Amendment (1913)

Direct Election of Senators; introduces direct popular election of U.S. Senators.

18th Amendment (1919)

Prohibition; bans the manufacture, sale, and transport of alcohol.

19th Amendment (1920)

Women’s Suffrage; prohibits denying voting rights based on sex.

20th Amendment (1933)

Lame Duck Amendment; changes the inauguration date to January 20.

21st Amendment (1933)

Repeal of Prohibition; repeals the 18th Amendment, allowing states to regulate alcohol.

22nd Amendment (1951)

Presidential Term Limits; sets a two-term limit for presidents.

23rd Amendment (1961)

Electoral Votes for D.C.; grants three electoral votes to Washington, D.C.

24th Amendment (1964)

Abolition of Poll Taxes; bans poll taxes in federal elections.

25th Amendment (1967)

Presidential Succession and Disability; outlines succession procedures for the presidency.

26th Amendment (1971)

Voting Age Lowered to 18; allows those 18 and older to vote, linked to the Vietnam War.

27th Amendment (1992)

Congressional Pay Restraint; delays changes to congressional pay until after the next election