Number 4.
What is an amendment?
Answer a change to the Constitution, an addition to the Constitution.
The men who wrote the U.S. Constitution knew that their document was not perfect.
That is why they included ways to change or add laws to the Constitution in the future.
The fifth article or section of the Constitution says that Americans can change the Constitution
in two ways.
The first way is to have another Constitutional Convention.
A big meeting where representatives from all of the states would gather and decide on the
changes, just like they did when the Constitution was written in Philadelphia in 1787.
This way, however, has never been used.
One way to change the Constitution has two steps.
This change or addition is called an amendment.
Two thirds or 67% of the members of Congress has to vote in favor of or say yes to approve
this amendment.
Then the amendment must be approved by three-fourths or 75% of the states.
Getting two thirds of Congress and three-quarters of the states to agree is not an easy thing
to do.
And that is why there are not very many amendments to the Constitution.
The president cannot create amendments and does not have the right or power or ability
to veto or say no to amendments.
After three-fourths of the states approve the amendment that has already been approved
by Congress, the amendment officially becomes part of the Constitution.
Many of the rights that Americans believe are extremely important in the United States
are actually not in the original Constitution of 1787.
Instead, they are in amendments to the Constitution, freedom of religion, the right to vote regardless
of someone's skin color or sex being a man or woman, and who can be a citizen are all
described in different amendments to the Constitution.
Amendments can be repealed or taken back by passing other amendments.
Only one amendment has been repealed in the history of the United States.
The 18th amendment made it illegal or against the law to make or sell alcohol, such as beer
and wine.
This amendment was called the prohibition amendment because to prohibit means not to allow something
or to make something illegal.
The 18th amendment was approved in 1919.
However, the 21st amendment passed in 1933 repealed the 18th amendment, so today Americans
can make and sell alcohol again.
Number four, what is an amendment?
Answer a change to the Constitution.
In addition to the Constitution, explanation.
The men who wrote the U.S. Constitution knew that their document was not perfect.
That is why they included ways to change or add laws to the Constitution in the future.
The 5th article or section of the Constitution says that Americans can change the Constitution
in two ways.
The first way is to have another Constitutional Convention, a big meeting where representatives
from all of the states would gather and decide on the changes, just like they did when the
Constitution was written in Philadelphia in 1787.
This way, however, has never been used.
There has never been a second Constitutional Convention.
The second and more common way to change the Constitution has two steps.
First, Congress, the group of elected national representatives, passes or approves a special
law to change or add something to the Constitution.
This change or addition is called an amendment.
Two thirds or 67% of the members of Congress has to vote in favor of or say yes to approve
this amendment.
Then the amendment must be approved by three-fourths or 75% of the states.
Getting two thirds of Congress and three-quarters of the states to agree is not an easy thing
to do, and that is why there are not very many amendments to the Constitution.
The President cannot create amendments and does not have the right or power or ability
to veto or say no to amendments.
After three-fourths of the states approved the amendment that has been approved by Congress,
the amendment officially becomes part of the Constitution.
Many of the rights that Americans believe are extremely important in the United States
are actually not in the original Constitution of 1787.
Instead, they are in amendments to the Constitution.
Freedom of religion, the right to vote regardless of someone's skin color or sex being a man
or woman, and who can be a citizen are all described in different amendments to the Constitution.
Amendments can be repealed or taken back by passing other amendments.
Only one amendment has been repealed in the history of the United States.
The 18th amendment made it illegal or against the law to make or sell alcohol such as beer
and wine.
This amendment was called the Prohibition Amendment because to prohibit means not to allow
something or to make something illegal.
The 18th amendment was approved in 1919.
However, the 21st amendment, passed in 1933, repealed the 18th amendment so today Americans
can make and sell alcohol again.
This course has been a production of the Center for Educational Development in beautiful
Los Angeles, California.
Visit our website at pslpod.com.
This course was produced by Dr. Jeff McQuillan and Dr. Lucy Saye.
Copyright 2008.
