Amendments to the Constitution

Bill of Rights. Proposed 1789; enacted 1791

1st Amendment

Protects the peoples right to practice religion, speak freely, to assemble, to address the governemnt, and of the press to publish

2nd amendment

protects the right to own guns

3rd amendment

guarantees that the army cannot force homeowners to give them room and board

4th amendment

protects people from the government improperly taking property, papers, or people, without a valid warrant based on probable cause

5th amendment

protects people from being held for committing a crime unless they are properly indicted, that they may not be tried twice for the same crime, and that you need not be forced to testify against yourself. Contains due process guarantees.

6th amendment

guarantees a speedy trial, an impartial jury, and that the accused can confront witnesses against them, and that the accused must be allowed to have a lawyer.

7th amendment

guarantees a jury trial in federal civil court cases. this type of case is normally no longer heard in a federal court

8th amendment

guarantees that punishments will be fair, and not cruel, and that extraordinarily large fines will not be set.

9th amendment

simply a statement that other rights aside from those listed may exist, and just because they are not listed doesn’t mean they can be violated

10th amendment

says thats any power not granted to the federal government belongs to the states.

11th amendment

says how someone from one state can sue another state

12th amendment

redefines how the president and vice president are chosen by the electoral college

13th amendment

abolished slavery in the entire united states

14th amendment

people had rights on the federal level and on the state level, too. dealt with citizenship, due process, equal protection under the law

15th amendment

ensured that a persons race could not be used as criteria for voting

16th amendment

authorizes the united states to collect income taxes

17th amendment

shifted the choosing of senators from the state legislatures to the people of the united states

18th amendment

abolished the sale or manufacture of alcohol in the united states

19th amendment

women’s suffrage

20th amendment

set new start dates for the terms of the congress and the president

21st amendment

repealed the 18th amendment

22nd amendment

set a limit on the number of times a president could be elected- two four-year terms

23rd amendment

grants washington dc the right to three electors in presidential elections

24th amendment

ensured no tax could be charged to vote for any federal office

25th amendment

establishes rules for a president who becomes unable to perform his duties while in office

26th amendment

ensures that any person 18 or over may vote

27th amendment

any law that increased the pay of legislators may not take effect until after an election