Constitutional Amendments

part 1 of amendments:

Guarantees the right to the freedoms of speech, press, and religion. Protects the right to petition the government.

1st Amendment (1791)

Guarantees the people's right to own and bear arms for their defense.

2nd Amendment (1791)

Citizens cannot be forced to quarter soldiers during times of peace.

3rd Amendment (1791)

Citizens cannot be forced to subject themselves to seizure and search without a search warrant and probable cause. 

4th Amendment(1791)

Prohibits abuse of governmental authority in legal procedures. Establishes rules for indictment by eminent domain and grand jury. Guarantees the due process rights. Protects citizens from self-incrimination and double jeopardy.

5th Amendment(1791)

Guarantees fair and speedy jury trial and the rights to know the accusation, the accuser, and to find counsel and witnesses. 

6th Amendment(1791)

Reserves individual’s rights to jury trial depending on the civil case, and cases already examined by not be re-opened by another court. 

7th Amendment(1791)

Forbids exorbitant bails and fines and punishment that is unusual or cruel.

8th Amendment(1791)

Reserves the rights of citizens which are not specifically mentioned by the U.S. Constitution. 

9th Amendment(1791)

Reserves powers that are not given to the U.S. government under the Constitution, nor prohibited to a State of the U.S. to the people and the States.

10th Amendment(1791)

State sovereign immunity. States are protected from suits by citizens living in another state or foreigners that do not reside within the state borders. Ratified: Feb. 7, 1795

11th Amendment(1795)

Modifies and clarifies the procedure for electing vice-presidents and presidents.

12th Amendment(1804)

Except as punishment for criminal offense, forbids forced slavery and involuntary servitude.

13th Amendment(1865)

Details Equal Protection Clause, Due Process Clause, Citizenship Clause, and clauses dealing with the Confederacy and its officials.

14th Amendment(1868)

Reserves citizens the suffrage rights regardless of their race, color, or previous slave status.

15th Amendment(1870)

Reserves the U.S. government the right to tax income.

16th Amendment(1913)

Establishes popular voting as the process under which senators are elected.

17th Amendment(1913)

Denies the sale, manufacture, and distribution of alcohol.

18th Amendment(1919)

Reserves women's suffrage rights.

19th Amendment(1920)

Also known as the "lame duck amendment," establishes date of term starts for Congress (January 3) & the President (January 20)

20th Amendment(1933)

Details the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment. State laws over alcohol are to remain.

21st Amendment(1933)

Limit the terms that an individual can be elected as president (at most two terms). Individuals who have served over two years of someone else's term may not be elected more than once.

22nd Amendment(1951)

Reserves the right of citizens residing in the District of Columbia to vote for their own Electors for presidential elections.

23rd Amendment(1961)

Citizens cannot be denied the suffrage rights for not paying a poll tax or any other taxes.

24th Amendment(1964) 

Establishes the procedures for a successor of a President.

25th Amendment(1967)

Reserves the right for citizens 18 and older to vote.

26th Amendment(1971)

Denies any laws that vary the salaries of Congress members until the beginning of the next terms of office for Representatives.

27th Amendment(1992)