The 27 Amendments (in brief)

Question 1

1st Amendment

Answer 1

Freedoms: Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, Petition

Question 2

2nd Amendment

Answer 2

Right to bear arms

Question 3

3rd Amendment

Answer 3

Limitation on quartering troops

Question 4

4th Amendment

Answer 4

Limitation on search & seizure

Question 5

5th Amendment

Answer 5

Personal & property rights // Due Process

Question 6

6th Amendment

Answer 6

Fair, Public, and Speedy trial

Question 7

7th Amendment

Answer 7

Trial by jury in Civil cases (not federal cases)

Question 8

8th Amendment

Answer 8

Ban on cruel & unusual punishment and excessive bail

Question 9

9th Amendment

Answer 9

People have rights other than those listed in Amendments 1-8. It is “implied” in this Amendment that you have rights, other than those already listed in Amendments 1-8.

Question 10

10th Amendment

Answer 10

Residual powers are reserved for the states. Powers not given to the Federal Government in Article 1, Section 8, Clauses 1-18 are automatically reserved for the States. This is known as the State’ Rights Amendment.

Question 11

11th Amendment …… (1798)

Answer 11

The Judicial jurisdiction of the Federal Courts (Appellate v. Original)

Question 12

12th Amendment …… (1804

Answer 12

Separate election ballots for president and vice president. They don’t really run as a team. It could happen that Donald Trump gets re-elected, yet Mike Pence fails to get re-elected. It has never happened, but it could.

Question 13

13th Amendment …… (1865)

Answer 13

Abolition of slavery // Lincoln’s “Emancipation Proclamation” of January 1863 did not free the slaves. No, the 13th Amendment freed the slaves. Lincoln did not live to see the abolition of slavery. He was assassinated 7 months earlier.

Question 14

14th Amendment …… (1868)

Answer 14

Citizenship for African-American males //Due Process //Civil Rights //Protection against the States // The 14th Amendment is the vehicle for “Incorporating” the Bill of Rights to include protections against the States.

Question 15

15th Amendment …… (1870)

Answer 15

African-American males get the vote. Males only, not African-American women.

Question 16

16th Amendment …… (1913)

Answer 16

Income tax // Redistribution of wealth // This is considered the “most Communistic” of the Amendments. “Take from the Rich, Give to the Poor. “Robin Hood” Amendment.

Question 17

17th Amendment …… (1913)

Answer 17

The people, as of 1913, vote for both houses of Congress (They can now elect the U.S. Senate, not just the U.S. House of Reps).

Question 18

18th Amendment …… (1920)

Answer 18

Prohibition of alcoholic beverages // This is a Cultural Amendment // This was considered “Dictating morality” or “Legislating morality”// The Framers of the Constitution argued against Cultural Amendments like this. They must have been correct because Prohibition was a failure, and would be repealed 13 years later with the 21st Amendment (1933).

Question 19

19th Amendment …… (1920)

Answer 19

Women get the vote. // This is considered a World War One Amendment because women took care of the Home-front while the men were off to War. The female vote was a thank you for their service. This Amendment doubled the size of the electorate. // Women are 51% of the population.

Question 20

20th Amendment ….. (1933)

Answer 20

Lame Duck Amendment // Inauguration date is moved up from previous March 4 to current January 20.

Question 21

21st Amendment …… (1933)

Answer 21

Repeal of Prohibition (the 18th Amendment). This is the “Devolution Amendment” because it is the only Amendment in which power was given back to the states, instead of the other way around. Power “devolved” back to the States.

Question 22

22nd Amendment ….. (1951)

Answer 22

Two-term limit on the presidency // This is an over-reaction by the Republicans who were not happy about Democrat Franklin Roosevelt being elected to 4 presidential terms.

Question 23

23 rd Amendment ….. (1961)

Answer 23

Washington D.C. gets three electoral votes for presidential election.

Question 24

24th Amendment …… (1964)

Answer 24

Abolition of the poll tax. This is the last trace of any property qualification.

Question 25

25th Amendments ….. (1967)

Answer 25

Disability of the president. Appointment of a vice president // The president can be removed from office if he is decided to be physically or mentally unfit //

Question 26

26th Amendment …… (1972)

Answer 26

18-year old citizens got the vote // This is a Vietnam War Amendment. If you are old enough at 18 years to be drafted to fight a war in Southeast Asia, you should be old enough to vote for the politicians who sent you there.

Question 27

27th Amendment ……. (1992)

Answer 27

A slight limitation on members of Congress determining what their own salaries should be. Kind of nice when an employee can determine his/her own salary.
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It took 200 years for the 27th Amendment to be ratified. It was proposed in 1792, but not ratified until 1992. It is a Fluke Amendment because they neglected to put a 7 year time limit for ratification.