Amendments

Amendments

• 1st 10 Amendments known as the Bill of Rights• Dealt with the rights of individuals before the

Constitution• 1st Amendment guarantees the freedom of

religion, speech, the right to assemble, and to petition the Government.

• 2nd Amendment = right to bear arms• 3rd Amendment created to prevent a repeat of

Britain’s Quartering Act of 1765

Amendment (cont.)

• The 6th Amendment dictates that a jury must hear both sides of a case before deciding on guilt.

• 7th Amendment preserves the right to a jury trial whenever the figure exceeds $20.

• 13th Amendment outlawed slavery in the United States.

• 14th Amendment prevents states from passing laws that take away the rights of citizens

Amendments (slide 3)

• 15th Amendment – the rights of a citizen to vote cannot be denied because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude (slavery)

• 16th Amendment allows for the passage of Income Taxes.

• 17th Amendment = direct election of Senators• 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment

(prohibition)• 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote.

Amendment (take 4)

• 20th Amendment changed the first meeting date of Congress to January 3rd.

• 22nd Amendment limits Presidents to 2 terms of office.

• 23rd Amendment allowed residents of Washington DC to vote in federal elections

• 24th Amendment outlawed the use of Poll Taxes being paid in order to vote.

• 25th Amendment stipulated the conditions in which the Vice President assumed the duties of the President

Other Questions

• Separation of powers is mainly a way of preventing a dictatorship

• Cabinet members must be nominated by the President and then approved by the Senate to be appointed to their post.

• The President can order armed intervention abroad but must gain Congressional approval.

• If a President returns an unsigned Bill after 10 days, Congress can pass it with a 2/3 vote of each house.

Other Questions (pt. deux)

• The President can make rules with the force of law only if Congress empowers him to do so.

• The best illustration of American Federalism is the regulation of commerce. Congress regulates interstate commerce while the state regulate commerce within the state.

• The fewest number of representatives a state can have in Congress is:– 3 (2 in the Senate and 1 in the House or

Representatives)