US Constitutional Amendments and Articles: Key Historical Facts

14th Amendment

Affirms birthright citizenship and prohibits state governments from passing laws to abridge any fundamental rights and liberties granted to citizens

17th Amendment

Mandated that U.S. Senators must be elected by the people of each state.

Article VI

Honor all of the debts it had incurred under the Articles of Confederation and importantly establishes the supremacy clause.

13th Amendment

Abolished slavery everywhere in the United States

15th Amendment

Declared it is unconstitutional for anyone to be deprived the right to vote based on race

16th Amendment

Gave the federal government authority to raise revenue through a progressive income tax.

18th Amendment

Prohibited the manufacture sale and transportation of "intoxicating liquors."

19th Amendment

Forbade any state from denying anyone the right to vote on account of sex.

20th Amendment

Moved the President's Inauguration Day to January 20th and required Congress to convene on January 3rd.

21st Amendment

Ended prohibition.

22nd Amendment

Prohibited anyone from serving more than two terms as President.

25th Amendment

Constitutional procedures for determining when a President is no longer fit to serve

26th Amendment

No one 18 years or older can be denied the right to vote on account of their age

27th Amendment

When Congress votes to raise the pay of Congress members the pay increase cannot take effect until after the next congressional election

Article I

The legislative branch of the federal government

Article II

The executive branch - the presidency

Article III

Establishes a federal court system composed of 'one supreme Court' and also 'inferior Courts'

Article IV

Relationship between States and the Federal Government and responsibilities of the latter to the States

Article V

Four different ways to amend the Constitution

Article VII

The Constitution will be ratified by 9 of the 13 States

What year did delegates convene in Philadelphia to write a new Constitution?

1787

On what date was the Original Constitution signed?

September 17th, 1787

In what year was the Original Constitution ratified to become the supreme law of the land?

1788

When were the Bill of Rights (A.K.A the first ten amendments) ratified?

December 15th, 1791

What years were the final amendments added to the Constitution by the founding generation?

1795 and 1804