Category: Constitutional Amendments

The Twenty-Seventh Amendment, sometimes referred to as the “Congressional Pay Amendment,” was first proposed by Congress on September 25, 1789, at the same time as the Bill of Rights (first ten amendments).

The Twenty-Sixth Amendment was proposed by Congress on March 23, 1971, and ratified by the states on July 1, 1971. The Amendment gave the right to vote to citizens 18 years old and older.

The Twenty-Fifth Amendment was approved by Congress on April 13, 1965, and ratified on February 10, 1967. Often referred to as the “Succession Act,” the Amendment was drafted to resolve outstanding issues related to vacancies, both permanent and temporary, in the Office of the President.

The Twenty-Fourth Amendment,  proposed by Congress on September 14, 1962, and ratified by the states on January 23, 1964,  ended the poll tax applied by states for elections of federal officials.

The Twenty-Third Amendment was proposed by Congress on June 16, 1960, and ratified by the states on March 29, 1961. The Amendment conferred citizen-residents of our national capital and the seat of our government, the District of Columbia (DC), the right to choose electors and thereby vote in U.S. presidential elections.

The Twenty-Second Amendment was proposed by Congress on March 21, 1947, and ratified on February 27, 1951.  Comprised of two sections, it sets a two-term (four years each) limit for an elected President, and those restrictions apply to an individual who becomes president, but not through the election process, and serves for more than two years.

The Twenty-First Amendment was proposed by Congress on February 20, 1933 and ratified by the states on December 5, 1933.  Comprised of three sections, it repealed the Eighteenth Amendment ending the federal government’s ban on the importation, manufacture, sale, and/or transportation of intoxicating liquors in the United States.

Known as the “Lame Duck” Amendment, the Twentieth Amendment changed the start dates of federal terms of office following federal elections for the offices of President, Vice President, and members of Congress.

In America, it is not uncommon to hear sentiments that begin or end with “when women got the right to vote.”  In fact, women didn’t get the right to vote in 1920, they fought for it.

The Eighteenth Amendment, passed by Congress on December 18, 1917, and ratified by the states on January 16, 1919, banned alcohol, for all intents and purposes, within the borders of American jurisdictions.