The Twenty-seventh Amendment

"No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened."


This Amendment made it so Senators could not give themselves a raise during their current term. This was an Amendment that was needed from the beginning, but it took awhile to get it put in to the Constitution. I have a feeling if the people knew that the Senators could have given themselves raises and probably did that would not have settled well.

This cartoon shows the corruption that not having this Amendment could produce. Especially right now while we are in the middle of a long recession the people of the United States wouldn't be very happy if their Congressmen decided they needed a raise using their tax money. They spend enough of our tax money as it is...

The Twenty-sixth Amendment

"Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.
Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."


The Twenty-Sixth Amendment  lowered the voting eligibility age to 18 years old. People were being sent overseas to fight for their country (Draft eligibility 18 years), but couldn't vote for their President or have a say in their government. This was an important Amendment to me just 3 years ago when I got to vote for the President for the first time (I was 19).

This is a button that was used by the citizens of the United States in their protests to lower the voting age to 18. Like I talked about above, people were being sent over seas to fight in a war, but couldn't vote for their President. I wouldn't be happy with that either.

This is a video of President Richard Nixon announcing the 26th Amendment. I wonder if he got a lot of voters under 21 to vote for him after this Amendment passed.

The Twenty-fifth Amendment

"Section 1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.
Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.
Section 3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.
Section 4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office."


The Twenty-fifth Amendment set up the succession plans for the Presidency and established procedures for filling a vacancy and dealing with a President that was un-able to lead. It was very important to include this Amendment in the Constitution for the safety of the Executive branch. If the President and Vice-President happened to get killed at the same time we would need to know right away who the new acting President would be. There most likely wouldn't be time to set up the procedures to pick a new President after something like that had happened.

This is just a funny tweet from somebody making fun of Joe Biden the Vice-President for saying he was 2nd in the line of succession to the Presidency instead of the 1st. It doesn't help much to have the procedures set up if the people who are supposed to use them don't know them. He probably just mixed his words up, but it is funny just the same.

The Twenty-fourth Amendment

"Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.
Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."


The Twenty-fourth Amendment made poll taxes illegal. Poll taxes (paying to vote) appeared in the southern states to keep newly freed African Americans from voting. It is extremely sad to me that people would stoop to this level to keep someone from exercising their right to vote. This Amendment was a great response to the issue, but that doesn't fix the people that created poll taxes in the first place.

This is a picture of African American voters in 1945 which is what the poll taxes were created to stop. Imagine being 25 and able to vote, but you couldn't afford to. Taxation for representation.

This is a video of reporter Rachel Maddow calling long lines a kind of poll tax. In the world that we live in today time is our most precious resource. Having to sit in line for hours on end to vote costs money and could cost people time at their jobs earning money.

The Twenty-third Amendment

"Section 1. The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct:
A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.
Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."


The Twenty-third Amendment gives people in the District of Columbia the right to vote for electors for the President. Before this Amendment was created people in the District of Columbia were the only people in the United States that could not vote for an elector for the President (without which makes the vote useless). They are still the only people in the United States that don't have representation in Congress. I am guessing that problem will find its way into an Amendment at some point as well.

This is a picture of a license plate that brings up the issue of taxation without representation. Even with the 23rd Amendment people who live in D.C. don't have representation in Congress. At least after the Amendment they can be represented in part of the Government by the President.

The Twenty-second Amendment

"Section 1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.
Section 2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress."


The Twenty-second Amendment sets up the two-term rule for the President. It had always been an un-written rule to only stay in office for two-terms ever since George Washington said it was as long as any President needed. Not until FDR did a President stay in the office for more than two-terms. This Amendment was a reaction by the Republican party to keep a Democrat from ever serving more than two-terms again.

This is a campaign button that to me is slightly laughing at the fact that FDR won the Presidential race four times. I actually think that having a steady Presidency through WWII contributed a lot to Americas success in that war and afterwards. I wonder how many people would want the 22nd Amendment repealed if we were in a time of war and were happy with the Presidency.

This is a picture of a newspaper article that I am glad did not come true. Im guessing that he was trying to do this before the Watergate scandal, because it certainly wasn't afterwards.

The Twenty-first Amendment

"Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.
Section 2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.
Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission here of to the States by the Congress."


The Twenty-first Amendment repealed the Eighteenth Amendment which was a ban on pretty much anything related to Alcohol. All the 18th Amendment did was put hard working people in the alcohol industry out of work and increased crime rates. This made it legal for bars and breweries to open up again and took the money out of the hands of criminals.

This is a picture of men marching holding a funny sign protesting prohibition. I know so many people who enjoy drinking I couldn't imagine what it would be like if they had that right taken away. I also work in the Power and Light District which pays its rent in Alcohol sales, so I and a lot of my friends wouldn't have jobs right now without the 21st Amendment.

This is a poster somebody made to tell Congress that prohibition failed and caused crime rates to go up instead of down. The people who were trying to get prohibition passed made a lot of promises about life getting better without alcohol and none of them turned out to be true. Nothing good came out of prohibition unless you were a mobster.

The Twentieth Amendment

"Section 1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.
Section 2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.
Section 3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified.
Section 4. The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.
Section 5. Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the ratification of this article.
Section 6. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission."


The Twentieth Amendment established the beginning and ending dates for the terms of federal elected officials. It also creates a procedure if something were to happen to the President elect. We learned in class that the only reason the President didn't take office in January was so they would have time to move their family and all of their belongings to D.C. As travel time became less of a problem this Amendment was set up to make the inauguration date more convenient.

This is a video of President George W. Bush at his inauguration on January 20th 2005 (date set by the 20th Amendment). I like that a new Presidency starts in January; it adds to the excitement over a new year.

The Nineteenth Amendment

"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."


The Nineteenth Amendment gave women the right to vote. This was an important Amendment, because even though the 14th Amendment gave all men the right to vote, women were left out. I don't see women as second class citizens, and its weird to me that men used to get away with doing just that.

To me this poster makes the best argument for women's suffrage. Every citizen of the United States deserves to vote and deserves to have their voice heard. How could you say that the President is chosen by the people when 50% of the population can't vote

This is a video by School House Rock where they sing about Women's Suffrage. It talks about how unfair it was for everyone, but women to vote and I agree. I saw this video in history class like 10 years ago, and I'm glad that there are people out there that make videos like this to help children understand important issues.

The Eighteenth Amendment

"Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.
Section 2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress."


The Eighteenth Amendment started what is called "Prohibition" by making alcohol consumption, purchases, or sales illegal. This is the only Amendment I believe failed, and knowing the people I do now who love their alcohol; I have no idea how it got passed in the first place. The 18th Amendment started its own era of crime, and took alcohol profits out of the hands of law-abiding citizens and gave it to mobsters like Al Capone. However, it wasn't long till Congress saw the error in their ways and passed the 21st Amendment which repealed the 18th.

This is a picture of a store which will go out of business as soon as prohibition takes affect, so they are trying to sell off all their alcohol before it is illegal. To me the loss of jobs and closing of family owned stores is the saddest part about prohibition. Took money away from good American families and gave it to criminals.

This is a picture of Al Capone one of the most famous mobsters from the prohibition era. When the 18th Amendment took affect people still wanted to drink alcohol. Since it was illegal to buy it from a store they had to buy it from mobsters like Al Capone. With the help of Prohibition, Capone and many mobsters like him grew rich and powerful. The amount of crime in cities skyrocketed through the roof during Prohibition. However, that life style never seems to pay in the end and most of the famous gangsters from the Prohibition era are either dead or locked up.

This is picture is just funny to me, because I know a lot of girls who would be doing the same thing if Prohibition happened today.

The Seventeenth Amendment

"The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.
When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.
This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution."


The Seventeenth Amendment changed the way Senators are chosen, and also set up a procedure for selecting a new Senator if something was to happen to the one in office. Before this Amendment Senators were chosen by their State legislators. After this Amendment Senators were chosen by a popular vote of the citizens in their own State. I agree with Congress that the popular vote is the best way to select a Senator, but I also understand that the founders were trying to split all the powers in government up. Representatives were already being chosen by a popular vote in the State so they gave the power to the State legislature so that no one group has all the power.

This is a Senator of Missouri named Roy Blunt that I helped vote in with the popular vote. I believe that every high ranking government official should be chosen by the people in a Democratic government. The only issue I see with this system is "incumbency", which makes it very hard for someone who is not already in the Senate to be elected. 

The Sixteenth Amendment

"The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration."


The Sixteenth Amendment gave Congress the power to collect taxes on any income. Without this tax we most likely wouldn't have a lot of the public services we have today. I hate it every 2 weeks when I look at my check and some of it is taken away before I even get it, but I understand why we need an income tax in America. I do believe however, that Congress should fix the tax laws that allow big companies and the super rich to pay less of a percentage of their earnings than I do.

This is a funny little cartoon that has Uncles Sam's hand turning a citizen of the United States upside down and taking his money. The IRS on his sleeve represents the government tax collecting agency. This is just a clever way of saying that the Government takes all of our money. Like I said I don't like that I have to pay taxes, but I wouldn't want to live in this country if our government couldn't collect taxes to create the infrastructure we need.

This is a poster that brings out the lighter side of the IRS. People sometimes forget that the IRS employs real people who are just trying to do their jobs. I doubt anybody who works their enjoys taking tax money out of the hands of families, but they have to do their job. Without them collecting taxes we wouldn't have public schools or public libraries. 

The Fifteenth Amendment

"Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."


This Fifteenth Amendment made it illegal to deny an American Citizen the right to vote based on race, color, or having been a slave in the past. This Amendment was the next step for African Americans in a long journey to equality after the Emancipation Proclamation (third reconstruction amendment).  The sad part is that because they were worried that this Amendment wouldn't get ratified they took out the wording in the Amendment that also made it illegal to discriminate against someone who would like to hold office. Eventually that became a law without an amendment.

This is a picture of an African American voting for the first time. This probably was the greatest moment in some of their otherwise tough lives. I will never understand why people back then were trying to keep people from voting when now the issue is the complete opposite. We need more people to go out and vote not matter what race, gender, or social class.

The Fourteenth Amendment

"Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.
Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may, by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.
Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article."

The Fourteenth Amendment set up the rules that we have today for citizenship and granted everyone some of the same rights we have at the Federal level on the State level. Without the 14th Amendment, American Citizens at the State level would not have the right to due process and the courts could treat people differently based on the color of their skin. Section three also made it impossible to hold a high ranking position in government if you had fought against the government at any point.

This picture shows someone protesting un-equal treatment by the government. Even with the 14th Amendment in place their is still prejudice out there and as long as their is prejudice people will be unhappy. Without the 14th Amendment however equality at the, State level at least, would be much worse.

The Thirteenth Amendment

"Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."


The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery. To me it is the most important Amendment to the Constitution and has had the biggest affect on the American people. Without this Amendment their could still be slavery in the United States, and I would not want to live in a country that allowed slavery.

This is a picture of a black soldier shaking the hand of a white soldier shortly after the 13th Amendment was adopted. Slavery never should have existed in the first place and this picture shows that all of us are the same on the inside no matter the skin color.

Obama represents how far we have come as a country since the adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment. President Barack Obama is the first African American President, and I am sure he will not be the last. When I see him I am hopeful that in the long run our Government will get things right. The process might take a long time, but in the end Congress always seems to make the most moral decisions.

The Twelfth Amendment

"The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and all persons voted for as Vice-President and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate.
The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted.
The person having the greatest Number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President.^[1]
The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States."


The Twelfth Amendment set up the procedure for selecting the President and Vice-President of the United States. This Amendment was created because the election of 1800 showed some flaws in the original procedure for selecting the President.

This is a picture of the President and Vice President that got elected in 1796 that showed the flaws in the original procedure for voting for the President. The federalists won the Presidency by selecting John Adams with a majority vote, but then were undecided on the second choice so the votes were scattered. This caused a member of the Democratic-Republican party which did not win the Presidency to win the Vice-Presidency. The issue with this is obvious, because you want your President and Vice-President from the same party.

The Eleventh Amendment

"The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State."

The Eleventh Amendment was included in the Constitution after Chisholm v. Georgia, because the ruling on that case said it was ok for a citizen of another State to sue a State. This is the first amendment after the Bill of Rights and it is definitely needed to keep this country together. If you could sue Kansas for not letting you smoke medical marijuana, because you live in California and they do let you smoke, everyone would be suing a State they didn't live in.

This is a cartoon about some of the injustices that might arise from the Eleventh Amendment. This handicapped man cannot sue the State for not putting in a ramp, because even though the Federal Government made a law that public places had to be accessible to the handicapped they did not make any specific rules. Since a handicapped person cannot sue the State for better compliance with the national standards because of the Eleventh Amendment, as long as a the person can get up the stairs in some way, nothing will change.

The Tenth Amendment

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."


The Tenth Amendment says that any powers not given to the federal government are to be given to the States. Back when the Constitution was being written, how powerful that national government should be was a hotly debated topic. The people were split whether to give more powers to the States or the Federal Government. The Anti-Federalists were so afraid of a big federal government that the Constitution most likely would not have been ratified without the promise that this Amendment would be included. I agree 100% with the anti-federalists that if the power doesn't NEED to be in the hands of the Federal Government, then it should be given to the States.

This is a picture that represents a movement in the United States to take powers away from the Federal Government and give them to the States. People today are still afraid of a powerful national government and for good reason. People with too much power have been shown by history to use that power in a negative way. Splitting up a power between the fifty states is a good way to decentralize a power and creates less room for abuse.

The Ninth Amendment

"The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."


The Ninth Amendment guarantees that under no circumstance will you be denied your rights, because of the rights given to another. An example would be that someone could not protest in your house just because he has the right to protest, since that would violate your right to privacy (which is in itself a hotly debated topic). This Amendment has been said to have been included in the Bill of Rights to protect people from what lawyers call enumerated rights (the rights the founders assumed they didn't need to include.

This is a video explaining what lawyers today call enumerated rights. These are the rights that would have been left out of the Constitution. This was the founders way to make sure that if they forgot a certain right in the Bill of Rights that didn't mean that it wasn't a right that you should have. Some rights are just known, and they couldn't include everything in the Constitution.

Not only does the Patriot Act violate the Fourth Amendment it also violates the Ninth Amendment. The Patriot Act gives the power to take away the rights of the few to protect the liberty of others. This is exactly why the Ninth Amendment was included in the Constitution; so that you couldn't take away someone's rights because of the rights of another. However, Congress renewed the Patriot Act so their isn't much we can do.

The Eighth Amendment

"Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."


The Eighth Amendment is included in the bill of rights to protect an American Citizen accused of a crime from excessive punishment. It basically means that the punishment must fit the crime, and also that torture is out of the question. This Amendment is at the heart of a debate going on today about whether the death sentence is cruel and unusual punishment. A lot of States have outlawed the death penalty, but it still lives strong in states like Texas.

This is a picture of a lethal injection table. This is just one of the choices used by the States to execute people found guilty of capitol crimes. I personally believe that if a person has been found guilty of a heinous murder in a fair trial that Capital Punishment is the way to go in certain situations. If a serial killer who has killed 10's of people does not show any remorse and has no hope for recovery then they deserve to meet the same fate as their victims.

The Seventh Amendment

"In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twentydollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law."


The Seventh Amendment sets the limit for the amount of money a case needs to be dealing with to be a federal case tried by a jury. Today the amount has to exceed 75,000 dollars before a case is to be tried federally by a jury. This Amendment is important, because if a bar wasn't set for amount of money a case has to be dealing with to require a trial by jury then there would be thousands of cases needing trial by jury, and the judicial system couldn't handle it

This is just a picture of a 20 dollar bill. It represents the 20 dollar bar that the Constitution set for the right to trial by a jury. Because of inflation we need the Judicial Branch to constantly raise the bar. The fact that they are able to adapt this Amendment to the current times is very important for the health of our judicial system.

The Sixth Amendment

"In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence."


The Sixth Amendment like the Fifth is included in the Bill of Rights to protect American Citizens who have been accused of a crime. We needed this Amendment because it has been proven in history (England) that if a court has too much power it can be a bad thing. This Amendment gives anyone accused of a crime the right to trial by jury, counsel, and includes what was to be interpreted and put into law as the "Miranda Rights". Without this Amendment a lot of innocent people could go to jail.

This is a picture of the Miranda rights. These are the rights given to you by the interpretation of the "to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him" part of the Sixth Amendment. I would hate to be arrested and not be told why or told what rights I had in that situation. The courts go the interpretation right, but I still think Miranda in the case that created these laws should have gone to jail regardless. He was guilty.

This is just a funny cartoon about the right to a speedy trial. The funny part about it is some people can be kept in jail for 2 or more years while their case is being tried in today's United States. There are just so many cases for the courts to get to that they can't keep up.

The Fifth Amendment

"No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."


The Fifth Amendment is a part of the Bill of Rights that provides a lot of protection for an American Citizen that is either being accused of a crime or has committed a crime. The Government can't keep you captive for a crime unless they can convince a Grand Jury of your peers that they have a reason to do so. This is another very important Amendment that basically makes rules for the Judicial Branch. I have luckily never been taken to prison but if I did I would be very happy that our founding fathers included this Amendment in the Bill of Rights.

This is just a funny comedy by Dave Chapelle about the "nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself" part of the Fifth Amendment. It has become a regular saying in pop culture and our lives, "I plead the fifth". At first that saying just meant that you won't testify in a court of law against yourself, but now it has evolved into meaning you just don't want to talk about something.


http://reason.com/archives/2011/12/05/the-senates-unconstitutional-support-for


This is an article about a new topic concerning our Fifth Amendment rights, "Indefinite Detention". The Congress is trying to pass a bill giving the Government the power to hold anyone captive indefinitely if they are suspected of being involved with a terrorist organization. This new law would basically make the Fifth Amendment irrelevant in cases involving terrorism, and I think it is a step in the opposite direction of security.

The Fourth Amendment

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."


The Fourth Amendment is all about protecting the safety and freedom of the people. Without this Amendment the Government could come into your house and take your things without telling you the reason or even having a reason. This is another very important part of the Bill of Rights which keeps the governments power over the people in check, and allows for true freedom whichever state you live in.

This is a funny but serious cartoon about rights that are given to you by the 4th Amendment being forgotten as soon as you walk through an airports doors. Don't get me wrong I am all for great security at airports, but I do think we are starting to go a little overboard with the new scanners that see through your clothes.

This cartoon is about the Patriot Act and how it creates it's own rules ignoring most of the Constitution. The Patriot Act is basically a law that says if the Government suspects that you are a terrorist that you lose all of your 4th Amendment rights and pretty much all your other rights. I unlike most people only have a small problem with this law. I really doubt that the government would be able to get away with using this Act on anyone that they really could not prove was a terrorist. This Act does not affect normal people that aren't doing anything wrong. At least that is what I would like to believe.

The Third Amendment

"No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in manner to be prescribed by law."

The Third Amendment is the most outdated amendment in the Bill of Rights. This amendment protects the citizens of the United States from soldiers being quartered in their house without their permission. This amendment was in response to people in the colonies being forced to house British soldiers against their will. I like most people would be more than welcome to let any American Soldier  stay at my house in time of need. So I doubt that this amendment will have any challenges to it in the future.

This picture to me makes fun of the outdated Third Amendment. I doubt anybody would want to be forced to house a soldier if they did not want to, but if they did repeal the Third Amendment I doubt it would affect society today at all. Most people I think like me would house a soldier in a time of need without being forced.

This video shows one of the main reasons why the Third Amendment is outdated, American military personnel are provided housing. Most likely the only reason a soldier would ever have to stay at a citizens house would be in time of war, and the Third Amendment doesn't protect against quartering in time of war (however it would be regulated by law). 

The Second Amendment

"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

The Second Amendment has been at the heart of one of the most heated debates about the Constitution in recent memory. This Amendment gives every citizen in the United States the right to own a gun (bear arms).  Did the founders mean for it to include fully automatic machine guns that hadn't even been invented yet? To me the meaning of this amendment changed as soon as the United States decided to keep a large standing military. Before without the ability of the citizens to keep  a gun to protect themselves we might not have been able to fight back against the British or keep the country together during the Civil War. Now with a police force in every town and city, and the most powerful military in the world a citizen does not need a military style weapon. I believe that if you want a gun to protect your family or hunt that is a right that should be protected. However, there is no reason for anyone not in the military to possess a gun that could kill 30 people with one round of bullets.

This video brings up the point (in a funny way) that I made above; the Second Amendment was created right after a war when the people of the country still needed the ability to protect themselves from their enemies because the country could not. I don't believe the Second Amendment was included in the constitution so a guy in Texas could own a fully automatic machine gun. The need for citizens to protect themselves from an enemy invader has passed, it doesn't mean what it may have meant back when the founders included this right into the Bill of Rights.

This picture brings up a point about why the public should have the right to "bear arms". The protection of your family is very important, but I believe protection of an average citizen from anyone with a gun is just as important. I do believe that people should have the right to have a gun in their house to protect themselves from invaders, but I also think that right should be well controlled by the government. Handgun's for protection is alright, a machine gun in your house for protection is not.

The First Amendment

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

To me the First Amendment is the most important of the Bill of Rights amendments. Not only does it give the average citizen the right to speak freely without fear of retaliation from the government, it gives the same right to the press. Freedom of the press is a crucial part of a free Democracy. Without freedom of the press we might never have learned about scandals such as Watergate or the Monica Lewinski fiasco. We need the press to keep us up to date on what is going on with the country and the strengths and weaknesses of political candidates. Also there are so many different religions in the United States that without the freedom of religion given to us by the First Amendment this country would fall apart.

To me this cartoon shows us that even without fear of retaliation from the government, free speech like everything can be controlled by the wealthy and powerful. Who knows how many large company scandals have been hidden from the public by a reporter who got paid off. However, that is why it is good to have so many different media outlets; if the scandal is big enough, the people involved won't be able to keep it from the public for long.

This picture brings up a topic that has been debated ever since the freedom of speech was included in the Bill of Rights. Should speech that is meant to hurt other people be protected by the First Amendment? The only reason I think "Hate Speech" should be protected is the fact that it would be an impossible form of speech to regulate. So many people in this country say things without thinking about how it could affect the people around them, that if "Hate Speech" wasn't protected the justice system would be overwhelmed with new cases.