The Constitution defines the fundamental law of the U.S. federal government, setting forth the three principal branches of the federal government and outlining their jurisdictions. It has become the landmark legal document of the Western world, and is the oldest written national constitution currently in effect. The Constitution has been amended 27 times, most recently in 1992, although there have been over 11,000 amendments proposed since 1789. Show
If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website. If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked. Multiple Choice Item: 1 point valueQuestion Overview:This question requires you to draw a contrast between the process of amending the U.S. Constitution and the process of creating federal laws. Using your own knowledge of how federal laws are made and a chart showing methods of amending the Constitution, you must analyze the major steps in each process and the governmental branch( es) involved. This question engages the reasoning skills needed to analyze both processes and identify the major difference between them. Answer Rationale: Option A is correct. If you selected this option, you likely noticed that the legislative branch is the only government branch mentioned on the chart. Of the three branches of the U.S. government, only the legislative is involved in the amendment process. Option B is incorrect. When selecting this option you may have focused on the information in the right hand column of the chart which shows that legislative bodies can conclude the amendment process. However, it is also important to notice, at the bottom of the same column, that ratification conventions can end the process. Option C is incorrect. If you selected this option, you likely noticed that both columns in the table show that state legislatures are involved in the amendment process. However, it is also important to note that state legislatures are not the only legislatures involved in the ratification process. The top two boxes of the left hand column show that the national legislative body (Congress) is also critical to the amendment process. Option D is incorrect. If you selected option 0, you probably noticed that state governments may start the amendment process. This can occur when two-thirds of the states' legislatures agree to call a national constitutional convention. However, as shown in the top two boxes of the left hand column, an amendment may also be proposed to the American people by a two thirds vote of both houses of Congress. The Amendment ProcessHow does an Amendment get added to the Constitution? The major steps of each of the two pathways to adding an Amendment are laid out below, but you can find the full details behind the process here. Path 1:
Path 2:
Most Frequently Requested Amendments Constitutional Amendments: LinksArticle V of the ConstitutionArticle V of the Constitution is where the nation is given instructions on how to modify the country's most important legal document. It is incredibly difficult to meet the requirements needed for ratifying an amendment due to the amount of support required from both lawmakers and the states themselves. Read the ConstitutionWhat are the 2 steps involved in the first method of amending the Constitution quizlet?Amending the Constitution requires two stages: proposal and ratification. Both Congress and the states can play a role in the proposal stage, but ratification is a process that must be fought in the states themselves. Once a state has ratified an amendment, it cannot retract its action.
What are the 2 steps involved in the third method of amending the Constitution?Four Methods of Amending the U.S. Constitution. What are the two ways to amend the Constitution quizlet?The two ways in which an amendment to the Constitution can be proposed is by the Congress proposing an amendment by a two-thirds vote in both houses. The second way is the legislatures of two-thirds of the states - 34 out of 50 - can ask Congress to call a national convention to propose an amendment.
What is the first step to amending the Constitution quizlet?What was the process of amending the Constitution? First, the proposal by congress (by two-thirds votes of both houses) or proposal from a convention called by two-thirds of the states is passed. The proposal is then sent to the state legislatures.
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