Amendment 27

No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.

This amendment is simple. It just says that Congressmans' salaries won't be changed until their next term. This was basically made so that the current people in Congress couldn't vote for a raise for themselves. I think that this amendment was helpful because if we didn't have this amendment, Congress could need a couple more bucks for Christmas this year and raise their salary.

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment27

This link is just some information on the 27th amendment, and why it was a good thing.



This picture basically just shows that all Congress cares about is making more money all the time.

Amendment 26

Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.

Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Amendment 26 lowered the age of voting to 18. The big argument was that if an 18 year old was old enough to go fight in the Vietnam War for our country, he should be able to vote. This new thing that is pretty similar to that is the drinking age. People are saying if you can fight at 18 then you should be able to buy a beer. This does make sense, and there have been plenty of bills that have been brought up. And I agree with it, I believe that they should lower the drinking age to 18. 18 is the mark for everything; being an adult, voting, fighting in a war, and so on. Why is the drinking age three years more?

So many people drink before they are 21. The one clips says something like 85% of 21 drank before their 21st birthday. They say that they are going to be more car accidents from drunk drivers if the age is lowered. Well duh! There are going to be more people drinking in public becuase 18 year olds won't be afraid to go out anymore.



This video clip gives both sides of the issue. Talks about brain maturing and fighting in wars.



Another clip giving points on each side, but seems to be leading towards lowering the drinking age.

Amendment 25

Section 1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

Section 3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.

Section 4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.

The line of succession is what amendment 25 deals with. It talks about who comes after who if the president can't fulfill his duty or dies and so on. I think that have a line planned out is an extremely good thing. Otherwise we would have to have an election every time a president passes away in office or can't do their job. This would be very time consuming and present many problems to the country.



Couldn't find much media stuff on 25th amendment so I picked another one of James's clips. In this one he goes over the first 6 in line of the presidential succession.



Just a picture of Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of The House of Representatives. Also next in line after the Vice President.

Amendment 24

Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.
Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Amendment 24 clearly states that poll taxes shall be eliminated. We eliminated these taxes because they were used in the south to discriminate against the blacks because they were usually poor and couldn't afford the taxes. But on the other hand they were making the government money. If we still had poll taxes today, yeah we probably wouldn't be as much in debt, but voter turn out would be at an all time low. Especially with the way the economy looks right now.

http://www.deafvote.com/why_vote/24th-amendment-explained.html

This link takes you to a little commentary about how poll taxes worked and why the 24th amendment was created.

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This video talks about how long it takes to wait to vote. This is the problem mainly for presidential and popular election where everyone wants to vote in. She is saying that the amount of time that it takes to vote is simular to a poll tax because it's taking time from peoples jobs and cause them to have to pay anyway.

Amendment 23

Section 1. The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct:
A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article using appropriate legislation.

This amendment allowed citizens of the District of Columbia to vote in presidential elections. But why don't they have a vote in Congress? This is because they aren't a state, and the 23 amendment doesn't say any where in it that they can do anything more than have electors in the presidential election. On the other side, the District still has to pay taxes, why don't they have representation in Congress?

In my mind I believe that we should stay true to the Constitution, if we believe that they really need representation we can just make another amendment giving them that. But for now, things should stay the way they are.



This guy basically gives all of the reasons why the District of Columbia can't have a vot in Crongress.



This is a picture of the other side of the arguement. That there won't be any taxing without respresentation.

Amendment 22

Section 1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.

Section 2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.

So the 22nd amendment just states that a president can't hold office for more than 2 terms, and only one term is he/she took office for longer than 2 years of the presidents spot they took. Basically there cannot be a president for longer than 10 years.
In the early part of 2009 there was talk of a bill going through Congress dealing with the repealment of amendment 22 and taking the limit off of the amount of terms a president can have. Personally I don't think that doing this is a good idea. If we didn't limit the amount of terms a president could have, it would be basically like a king running the country. One person always in charge. There could be one good president that holds office for 5 terms, and because of that a better candidate of the same party might not get a chance to run. America is always looking for change so I don't think that this bill has any chance and probably never will.



This girl talks about the bill that was going through Congress that was going to repeal the 22nd amendment.



There are quite a few people out there who want the 22nd amendment ratified. And this is just a picture showing it.

Amendment 21

Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.
Section 2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

The 21st amendment repealed the 18th amendment, making it okay to have alcoholic beverages again.



Just my boy James again. This time he is talking about the 21st amendment and how it repealed the 18th.



This is how a lot of Americans felt when the 21st amendment was ratified.

Amendment 20

Section 1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.

Section 2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.

Section 3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified.

Section 4. The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.

Section 5. Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the ratification of this article.

Section 6. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission.

Amendment 20 deals with when federal officers positions start and end. It states that the term of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on January 20th and then Congress at noon on January 3rd. This is also the time that the newly elected begin their term.
Section two deals with Congress meeting once a year. The date is set to be on January 3rd, but can be changed by law. And the rest of the amendment deals with when it will take effect.
The term lame duck comes from this amendment because a lame duck is someone reaching the end of their term.



Inauguration Day 2009. Demonstrating when the new presidental term ends, in this case George W, and a new one begins, Barack Obama



Just a picture of a lame duck.

Amendment 19

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Amendment 19 game women the right to vote. The United States took along time for this one. They made 18 amendments before they thought, "hey, aren't we forgetting about someone?" It is a shame that it women's rights took so long to be recognized. Women are still looked down upon by some and averagely make %70 of what men do in the work force.



Just a clip of how some people don't know what suffrage is. It's pretty funny.



A stamp representing the 19th amendment.

Amendment 18

Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.
Section 2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

This amendment banned the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol. They did this because of how people act when they were intoxicated. But this led to high crime, such as bootlegging and the mafia. The people wanted their liquors and were willing to do anything to get them.

Another point to be made is the fact that this amendment does not prohibit the consumption of alcohol. I guess they did that so that people who might need it for religion or other non recreational purposes could still use it. They just made it really hard to get.



Even doctors new that people wanted to drink and would freely hand out prescriptions for whiskey.



This guys makes the point that the consumption of alcohol is okay, but it was just so ridiculously hard to get that no one would drink it.

Amendment 17

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.
When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.

The 17th amendment starts out by giving the qualifications and restrictions of a US Senator. It also says that a senator is suppose to be elected by the people and is talking about voting. But can be appointed if there is an opening, before an election.



I really like this goovy looking guys because he keeps it short and sweet about each amendment.



This one is pretty self explainatory, voting has a big role in the 17th amendment.

Amendment 16

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

This amendment doesn't bother me much now, but soon it will. The 16th amendment gives the federal government the right to tax without the concent of the population.



This goovy looking fellows makes some good points about the 16th amendment.



I found this picture through google than thought that it represented how a lot of middle class Americans feel about the 16th amendment.

Amendment 15

Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

The 15th amendment gives citizen who were previously denied the right to vote because of race the right to vote. The US finally got all of the rights for the freed slaves. But why did it have to take 3 amendments? Because America is afraid of change. Always has and always will be. Another interesting comment, there is still not mention of women having the right to vote.



This guy talk about the 14th amendment at his work (I know this from other videos he made) and gives a basic thought on it.



This picture is commonly represents the 15th amendment because it shows the "reconstruction" that the pervious video was talking about.

Amendment 14

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

This is the second part of the Civil War amendments, the US has almost figured it out, but not yet. This amendment gives the right of citizenship to any and every born American. The fact that states have most of the power in delegating these rights is implied. It also talks about civil liberties towards everyone, but basically it's talking about the slaves. The funny thing is that women are never mentioned in any of the amendment, how long till they get their rights?



This elderly lady gives her thoughts on the 14th amendment and how she believes that the states get most of the choice and say in what happens.



This video gives a lot of good facts and example of how the 14th amendment has came up in cases in American history.

Amendment 13

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.[1]

The 13th amendment is the first of the Civil War amendments. This particular amendment set the slaves free. At this point America was willing to let the African American be free, but it won't be until later until America realizes that they forgot to give them the same civil rights everyone else has.






I was having trouble finding a good video source for this amendment, so I thought this one would get the point across, that this amendment freed the slaves.

The picture above represents slaves being freed and also states the 13th amendment