27 Amendments Flashcards
Right to bear Arms
Was NOT meant just for hunters, but for all citizens and allowed them to protect themselves from a tyrannical government
Amendment 2
5 Rights that deal with expression - religion, expression, speech, assembly, and press
Amendment 1
Quartering the troops; can’t force families to quarter soldiers
Amendment 3
Searches and seizures
Can’t search without a warrant
Evidence obtained w/o a warrant is not permissible in court
Amendment 4
Can’t be forced to give evidence against oneself – pleading the 5th
eminent domain - the government can take your property from you if it deems it necessary for the good of the country (interstate highway)
Double jeopardy - can’t be tried for the same time twice
Amendment 5
Right to a speedy trial and right to an attorney
Amendment 6
Right to trial by jury in civil cases if the dollar amount exceeds $20.00
Civil cases don’t involve prison time
Amendment 7
Prohibits cruel and unusual punishments
Prohibits excessive bails
Amendment 8
Enumerated Rights – rights that have not been explicitly mentioned this far are still retained by the people
Amendment 9
States Rights – power reserved to the states respectively or to the people
Gives power to the states
Ratified by James Madison in 1789
Amendment 10
Suits against the states
States cannot be sued in federal court by one of its citizens or by a citizen of another state
Amendment 11
Procedure for electing president and Vice President
If there is no clear winner of the presidential election , the house of reps shall elect the president and the senate elects the Vice President
John Quincy Adams and Thomas Jefferson elected this way
Amendment 12
Slavery
Abolishment of slavery in the US
Amendment 13
Citizenship
Defines a US citizen
Prohibits the states from reducing the privileges of citizens and emphasizes their right. I.e. State government had to abide by the Bill of Rights too, not just by the federal government
Amendment 14
Right to vote
The right to vote to all 21 year old males regardless of race, color, or previous status of servitude
Amendment 15
Income tax
Allows federal government to collect taxes on your income
Amendment 16
Election of Senators
Allows for the direct election of the US senators to the senate from the people
Before this amendment, senators were chosen by the state legislatures
Amendment 17
Prohibition
Prohibits the manufacture, sale, transportation, import/export of alcohol
Amendment 18
Suffrage for women
Amendment 19
Terms of President, sessions of congress, vacancy of president
- “Lame duck” amendment
- Moved starting date for presidents term from March 4th to January 20th
- Moved starting date of congress to January 3rd
- If president dies before January 20th, the Vice President is sworn into office as acting president
Amendment 20
Repeal of the 18th amendment
The only amendment that cancels out a previous amendment
Amendment 21
Limitation of Presidential Terms
No president can serve more than 2 terms; maximum is 10 years
Amendment 22
Electors of Washington, D.C.
Gives Washington, D.C. 3 electoral votes in the presidential elections
Electoral votes normally given to states only
Amendment 23
Anti-Poll Tax
Prohibits taxing someone in order to vote
Jim Crowe laws
Amendment 24
Presidential Disability and Vice President vacancies
President can be deemed unfit for the president if the vp and a majority of the cabinet agrees that he is unfit for duty
President can appoint a new VP if his current VP does or is removed, a new VP must be approved by Congress
Amendment 25
Lowering voting age to 18
Shortest time to ratify due to Vietnam war
Proposed march 1971; ratified July 1971
Amendment 26
Congressional Pay
Proposed in 1789. Ratified in 1992 - one of Madison’s original 12
congress may vote themselves a pay raise, but it will not take effect until after the next election
Longest time to ratify
Amendment 27
