Amendments to the U.S.

Constitution

1st Amendment (1791) Tenth Amendment (1791) 19th Amendment (1920)

2nd Amendment (1791) 11th Amendment (1795) 20th Amendment (1933)
3rd Amendment (1791) 12th Amendment (1804) 21st Amendment (1933)
4th Amendment (1791) 13th Amendment (1865) 22nd Amendment (1951)
5th Amendment (1791) 14th Amendment (1868) 23rd Amendment (1961)
6th Amendment (1791) 15th Amendment (1870) 24th Amendment (1964)
7th Amendment (1791) 16th Amendment (1913) 25th Amendment (1967)
8th Amendment (1791) 17th Amendment (1913) 26th Amendment (1971)
9th Amendment (1791) 18th Amendment (1719) 27th Amendment (1992)
The Founding Era Reconstruction The Progressive Era The Modern Era
1791 - 1804 1865 - 1870 1913 - 1920 1933 - 1992
 Gave us our first 12
amendments, including the
Bill of Right!
 Rights of Conscience
First Amendment

Military Amendments
Second and Third Amendments

Fair Process, Jury Rights, and the Rights of the Accused

Fifth through Eight Amendments

Popular Sovereignty Amendments

Ninth and Tenth Amendments
Rights of Conscience
First Amendment
Protects five freedoms:
- Religion
- Speech
- Press
- Assembly
- Petition.
“Denouncing the writs of
assistance that we talked
about a while ago”
Responded to early concerns about standing
armies and the value of rooting the
community’s (and nation’s) safety in a “well-
regulated” citizen (and-filled) militia.

The Supreme Court has also held that it

grants an individual right to keep and bear
arms.
Privacy and Property
Rights

Fourth and Fifth

Amendments
Says that the right of the people to be secure in our persons, houses, papers,
and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated.

Says that no warrants can issue except with probable cause, particularly
specifying the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.
Protects private property from being taken
by the government for public use without
just compensation.
Grants certain rights to criminal defendants:
Against self-incrimination
Against double jeopardy
Due process of law
 The Sixth Amendment
(1791)
Grants more rights to criminal defendants:
To an impartial jury
To counsel
 The Sixth Amendment
(1791)
Grants more rights to criminal defendants:
To an impartial jury
To counsel
To a speedy and public trial
 The Sixth Amendment
(1791)
Grants more rights to criminal defendants:
To an impartial jury
To counsel
To a speedy and public trial
To be informed of the accused crime
To cross-examine withnesses
To compel withnesses to appear
The Seventh Amendment
(1791)

A person has the right to a jury trial for

civil cases.

The 7th Amendment - provides that civil

cases also be tried by jury ( so, non-
criminal ) cases.
 The Eight Amendment (1791)

The government cannot demand excessive bail or

fines, or any cruel and unusual punishment.

The 8th Amendment prohibits excessive bail,

excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishments.
Recognizes that the American people have even
more rights than are written into the
Constitution itself.

The Constitution does not include all the

rights of the people and the states.

The list of rights described in the Constitution

is not exhaustive, and the people still have
all the rights that are not listed.
Reflects the Constitution’s commitment to federalism – the
traditional balance of power between the national government
and the states.

It was meant to protect the “reserved powers” of the states,

while also reminding those in government that power
originates with the American people.
 The 11th Amendment (1795)
Citizens cannot sue states in federal courts. (There are some
exceptions).

Bans the national courts from hearing certain lawsuits against

states, protecting the states. Scholar often refer to it as
protecting the “sovereign”
The 12th Amendment (1804)
Ironed out some bugs in the Electoral
College system. Under the original
Constitution, electors cast two votes
for president. Following this new
amendment, electors then cast one vote
for president and the other for vice
president.
The 13th Amendment (1865)

Slavery is illegal in the United States.

This amendment abolished slavery and
involuntary servitude.
Wrote the Declaration of Independence’s promise of
freedom and equality into the Constitution.

Make everyone born on American soil a U.S. citizen.

Promises equal protection for all.

Prevents states from denying any person life, liberty, or

property without due process

Incorporates the Bill of Rights against the states.

All US male citizens
have the right to vote.

This amendment gave all men the right to The 15th Amendment
vote regardless of race or color or whether
they had been slaves. (1870)
The Founding Era Reconstruction The Progressive Era
1791 - 1804 1865 - 1870 1913 - 1920
 The 16th Amendment
(1870)

Gave Congress the power

to pass an income tax
 The 17th Amendment
(1913)

Provided for the popular

election of senators
The 18th Amendment (1919)

Banned “the manufacture, sale, or

transportation of intoxicating liquors.”
The 19th Amendment (1920)

Protected the right to vote free of gender

discrimination.
The Founding Era Reconstruction The Progressive Era The Modern Era
1791 - 1804 1865 - 1870 1913 - 1920 1933 - 1992
The 20th Amendment (1933)
The President is inaugurated in
January. Congress begins to meet in
January.

Reduced the length of time between the

most recent set of national elections
and when a new Congress and
President take office.
The 21st Amendment (1933)
Alcohol is legal. Each state can make
laws about making, selling, and
drinking alcohol.

This amendment repealed the

Eighteenth
Amendment.
The 22nd Amendment (1951)

Limited a president to two terms in

office.

This amendment limited the president

to a
maximum of two terms or 10 years.
 The 23rd Amendment
(1961)
Granted the District of Columbia
three electoral votes – adding their
voters’ voices to the presidential
selection process
 The 24th Amendment (1964)
Banned poll taxes in
national elections.

It is illegal to make a
citizen pay a voting fee or
take a reading test to vote.
The 25th Amendment (1967)

Covers the issues of presidential

succession and incapacity
The 26th Amendment
(1971)

Prevents states from discriminating

against voters based on age if they
are 18 years of age and older.
The 27th Amendment (1992)

Prevents Members of Congress from

raising their own salaries until there has
been a new election