The Constitution can be amended in two ways. The first way is through congressional proposal, where an amendment is proposed by a two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The second way is through a national convention, which can be called by two-thirds of state legislatures to propose amendments.
An example of why the Constitution would need to be amended is the issue of voting rights. Over the years, the Constitution has undergone several amendments to address injustices in voting access and representation. For instance, the 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, aimed to eliminate racial discrimination in voting by prohibiting the denial of the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. However, despite this amendment, various legal and informal barriers continued to disenfranchise Black voters.
Further amendments, such as the 19th Amendment in 1920, which granted women the right to vote, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which aimed to eliminate various barriers to voting for African Americans, highlight the necessity of amendments in response to social changes and injustices. These examples illustrate how amendments are crucial for the evolution of democracy and the protection of civil rights in the United States.
The Constitution must adapt to reflect the changing values, beliefs, and needs of society, ensuring that fundamental rights and protections are upheld for all citizens.