The Constitution is a plan for the United States government. But a lot has changed in the 200-plus years since it was put down on paper. Amendments have been added, and sections have been interpreted in new ways. In other words, the Constitution has changed along with the country it helped create.
Amending the Constitution
If you've studied the Bill of Rights, then you know it is made up of the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. These were passed in 1791. Other amendments have been added…but not many. The Constitution is the foundation for all the other laws in the country. Altering it is a big deal and very difficult to do.
The only way to change the contents of the Constitution is the amendment process. The Constitution gives two ways to propose an amendment:
two-thirds of the members in Congress vote to propose the amendment;
OR
lawmakers in two-thirds of the states ask Congress to hold a constitutional convention to propose the amendment. (This method has never been used.)
Even if a proposed amendment clears that hurdle, it must still be ratified. There are two methods for ratification:
the lawmakers in three-fourths of the states vote to pass the amendment;
OR
three-fourths of the states hold conventions where attendees vote to pass the amendment.
Hundreds of amendments are introduced each year. However, only 33 have ever received enough votes to be officially proposed. Of those, just 27 were ratified, becoming part of the U.S. Constitution. Amendments often protect people's rights. For example, the First Amendment protects the right to free speech.
Interpreting the Constitution
Changing the contents of the Constitution is hard, but sometimes parts of it can be interpreted in new ways. These changes come from a judicial review by the Supreme Court. It is the top U.S. court. The court's nine justices determine whether laws go against the Constitution.
Brown v. Board of Education is an example of judicial review. It is an important decision in the struggle for civil rights. In some states, there were laws about public schools. They said that Black kids could not go to school with White kids. In the 1954 case, the Supreme Court ruled that these laws went against the Constitution.
It's important to remember that the Supreme Court can't actually alter the Constitution. But it can change how it is interpreted. Then a Supreme Court ruling becomes an example for similar cases. A ruling might also change how Congress writes future laws.
Building on the Constitution
When Congress passes new laws, it builds on the Constitution. The Founders established the basics. They trusted that the government they created would update the laws as needed. To do this, Congress sometimes uses the Necessary and Proper Clause. This section of the Constitution gives Congress the power to make laws for carrying out its job. It has been called the "elastic clause." That's because Congress has sometimes stretched what it thinks is necessary and proper.
The Constitution may have been written long ago. But its meaning continues to change. The changes reflect the nation's shifting needs, values, and politics.
According to the article, why does the Supreme Court exercise judicial review?
A. To guarantee amendments to the Constitution will pass
B. To determine whether laws go against the Constitution
C. To provide lawmakers with the chance to interpret the Constitution
D. To make sure ratified amendments are added to the Constitution
7 answers
obey
pass
send
announce
A. Three-fourths of the members in Congress must vote to propose an amendment. Lawmakers in two-thirds of the states must vote to ratify the amendment.
B. Three-fourths of Americans must vote to propose an amendment. Members of the executive branch must vote to ratify the amendment.
C. Two-thirds of Americans must vote to propose an amendment. Members of the Supreme Court must vote to ratify the amendment.
D. Two-thirds of the members in Congress must vote to propose an amendment. Lawmakers in three-fourths of the states must vote to ratify the amendment.
A. which branch of government is most powerful
B. where state conventions on amendments are held
C. how Congress uses its powers to build on the Constitution
D. what books the Founders read before writing the Constitution
5 answers