Knowing the Amendments to the Constitution

The Constitution of the United States is a governing document which upholds and outlines the rights of the individuals of the United States under law. It is a document that is very hard to change. This was a conscious decision made by the Founding Fathers. Those who created and helped to fashion the Constitution understood the importance of this one document. They created stipulations that have to be adhered to in order to make Amendments to the Constitution.

The processes of having the Constitution amended starts off with the proposal of an Amendment. A proposal of an Amendment can happen one of two ways. First, it can be a proposal that is done within the body of Congress. It must be brought to the floor, discussed and voted on.

The vote requires a two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This must be done on more than on one occasion.

The second way in which a proposal can occur is through a Constitutional Convention. This type of convention can be called for by the members of Congress using a two-thirds majority. If a Constitutional Convention occurs, this is where changes can be made and Amendments can be proposed.

Before it can be made an Amendment to the Constitution, the proposed Amendment must be ratified. How this happens is the Amendment is then brought out to all of the states and is requested for a vote by State Legislature or designated State conventions. In order for the Constitution to be amended, three-fourths of the states must vote in favor of ratifying the proposed Amendment. If voted in, the Amendment to the Constitution can be official.

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