414 lines
20 KiB
Plaintext
414 lines
20 KiB
Plaintext
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION IF THE UNITED STATES
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AMENDMENT I (1791)
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Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
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prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
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speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
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assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
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AMENDMENT II (1791)
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A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free
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state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be
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infringed.
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AMENDMENT III (1791)
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No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without
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the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be
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prescribed by law.
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AMENDMENT IV (1791)
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The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers,
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and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be
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violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause,
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supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place
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to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
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AMENDMENT V (1791)
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No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous
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crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in
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cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in
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actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be
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subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or
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limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness
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against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without
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due to be taken for public use, without just compensation.
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AMENDMENT VI (1791)
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In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a
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speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district
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wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have
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been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature
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and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses
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against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his
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favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.
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AMENDMENT VII (1791)
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In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed
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twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no
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fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the
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United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
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AMENDMENT VIII (1791)
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Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor
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cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
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AMENDMENT IX (1791)
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The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be
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construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
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AMENDMENT X (1791)
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The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor
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prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respective-
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ly, or to the people.
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AMENDMENT XI (1798)
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The judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to
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extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against
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one of the United States by citizens of another state, or by citizens
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or subjects of any foreign state.
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AMENDMENT XI (1804)
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The electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot
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for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be
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an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in
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their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct
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ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make
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distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all
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persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for
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each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to
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the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the
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President of the Senate;--The President of the Senate shall, in the
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presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the
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certificates and the votes shall then be counted;--the person having
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the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if
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such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed;
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and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the
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highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as
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President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by
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ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall
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be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote;
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a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from
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two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be
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necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not
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choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon
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them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice--
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President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other
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constitutional disability of the President. The person having the
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greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-Presi-
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dent, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors
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appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest
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numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a
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quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number
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of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a
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choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of
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President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United
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States.
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AMENDMENT XIII (1865)
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SECTION 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a
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punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted,
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shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their
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jurisdiction.
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SECTION 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by
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appropriate legislation.
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AMENDMENT XIV (1868)
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SECTION 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and
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subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States
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and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce
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any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of
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the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life,
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liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any
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person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
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SECTION 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several
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states according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number
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of persons in each state, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the
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right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President
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and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress,
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the executive and judicial officers of a state, or the members of the
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legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such
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state, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United
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States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion,
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or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in
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the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the
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whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such state.
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SECTION 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress,
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or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil
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or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having
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previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of
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the United States, or as a member of any state legislature, or as an
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executive or judicial officer of any state, to support the Constitution
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of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion
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against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But
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Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such
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disability.
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SECTION 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States,
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authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of
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pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection
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or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United
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States nor any state shall assume or pay any debt or obligation
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incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United
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States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave;
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but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held
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illegal and void.
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SECTION 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate
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legislation, the provisions of this article.
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AMENDMENT XV (1870)
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SECTION 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not
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be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account
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of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
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SECTION 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by
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appropriate legislation.
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AMENDMENT XVI (1913)
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The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from
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whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several
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states, and without regard to any census of enumeration.
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AMENDMENT XVII (1913)
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The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from
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each state, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each
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Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each state shall have the
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qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of
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the state legislatures.
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When vacancies happen in the representation of any state in the Senate,
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the executive authority of such state shall issue writs of election to
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fill such vacancies: Provided, that the legislature of any state may
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empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the
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people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.
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This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or
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term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the
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Constitution.
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AMENDMENT XVIII (1919)
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SECTION 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the
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manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within,
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the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the
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United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for
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beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.
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SECTION 2. The Congress and the several states shall have concurrent
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power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
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SECTION 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been
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ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the
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several states, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years
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from the date of the submission hereof to the states by the Congress.
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AMENDMENT XIX (1920)
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The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied
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or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.
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Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate
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legislation.
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AMENDMENT XX (1933)
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SECTION 1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at
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noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Repre-
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sentatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such
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terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the
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terms of their successors shall then begin.
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SECTION 2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and
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such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they
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shall by law appoint a different day.
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SECTION 3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the
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President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President
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elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen
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before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the Presi-
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dent elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect
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shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the
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Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President
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elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who
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shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act
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shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a
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President or Vice President shall have qualified.
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SECTION 4. The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of
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any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a
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President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them,
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and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the
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Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall
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have devolved upon them.
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SECTION 5. Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of
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October following the ratification of this article.
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SECTION 6. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been
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ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of
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three-fourths of the several states within seven years from the date of
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its submission.
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AMENDMENT XXI (1933)
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SECTION 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of
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the United States is hereby repealed.
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SECTION 2. The transportation or importation into any state, territory,
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or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of
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intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby
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prohibited.
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SECTION 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been
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ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the
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several states, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years
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from the date of the submission hereof to the states by the Congress.
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AMENDMENT XXII (1951)
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SECTION 1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President
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more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or
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acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some
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other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of
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the President more than once. But this article shall not apply to any
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person holding the office of President when this article was proposed
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by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding
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the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within
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which this article becomes operative from holding the office of
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President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.
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SECTION 2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been
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ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of
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three-fourths of the several states within seven years from the date of
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its submission to the states by the Congress.
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AMENDMENT XXIII (1961)
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SECTION 1. The District constituting the seat of government of the
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United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct:
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A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole
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number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the Dist-
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rict would be entitled if it were a state, but in no event more than
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the least populous state; they shall be in addition to those appointed
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by the states, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the
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election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a
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state; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as
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provided by the twelfth article of amendment.
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SECTION 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by
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appropriate legislation.
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AMENDMENT XXIV (1964)
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SECTION 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any
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primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors
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for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in
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Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any
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state by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.
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SECTION 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by
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appropriate legislation.
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AMENDMENT XXV (1967)
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SECTION 1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of
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his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.
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SECTION 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice
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President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take
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office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.
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SECTION 3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro
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tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives
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his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and
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duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declara-
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tion to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the
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Vice President as Acting President.
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SECTION 4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the
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principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body
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as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore
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of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their
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written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the
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powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately
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assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
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Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore
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of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his
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written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the
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powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a
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majority of either the principal officers of the executive department
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or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within
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four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of
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the House of Representatives their written declaration that the Presi-
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dent is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. There-
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upon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight
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hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within
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twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if
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Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is
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required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that
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the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his
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office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as
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Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and
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duties of his office.
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AMENDMENT XXVI (1971)
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SECTION 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are 18 years
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of age or older, to vote, shall not be denied or abridged by the United
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States or any state on account of age.
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SECTION 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by
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appropriate legislation.
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-------------------------------------
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Prepared by Gerald Murphy (The Cleveland Free-Net - aa300)
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