Constitutional Ammendments
Amendment 1 (1791): Freedom of religion, speech, press, and assembly; right of petition the government
Amendment 2 (1791): Right to bear arms (militia); a well organized militia has the right to bear arms in their own defense
Amendment 3 (1791): Limit on quartering of troops; no quartering of troops in private residences during times of peace or war
Amendment 4 (1791): Protection against unreasonable search/seizure; need to have search warrant or probable cause to search, protects right to privacy
Amendment 5 (1791): Due process; double jeopardy; self-incrimination; designed to protect persons accused of crimes
Amendment 6 (1791): Right to speedy trial; includes right to counsel and right to confront witnesses; trial cannot be delayed without justification
Amendment 7 (1791): Trial by jury in civil cases; jury comprised of your "peers" and the decision of the jury cannot be reexamined by another jury in the United States unless legal justification, in the form of misconduct or otherwise, is provided
Amendment 8 (1791): No excessive bail/fine; no cruel/unusual punishment; also gives citizens the right t bail and the right to remain in jail while awaiting trial
Amendment 9 (1791): People retain rights; the people have rights that extend beyond those explicitly given to them in the Constitution
Amendment 10 (1791): Powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states or the people;
Amendment 11 (1798): States cannot be sued by individuals; guarantees state sovereign immunities protecting them form suits by citizens residing out of state or by foreigners that do not reside within state borders
Amendment 12 (1804): Electoral college; modified and clarified process for electing president and vice president (states have electoral vote based on population, all votes cunt toward popular vote)
Amendment 13 (1865): Abolition of slavery; forbids forced servitude unless used for capital punishment for criminal offense
Amendment 14 (1868): Equal protection under the law, post Civil War definition of citizenship (all persons born in and/or naturalized in the United States); granted the rights of citizens to all such persons
Amendment 15 (1870): Right to vote guaranteed irrespective of race, color, or former condition of slavery; African-American men could now vote
Amendment 16 (1913): Income tax; congress can levy and collect a tax equaling a percentage of ones annual income
Amendment 17 (1913): Direct election of senators; elected by popular vote of people
Amendment 18 (1919): Prohibition; illegal to sell/manufacture/transport alcoholic or intoxicating beverages
Amendment 19 (1920): Women's suffrage; women now have the right to vote
Amendment 20 (1933): End to lame-duck session of Congress (change in when President and Congress take office); changed inauguration date from March 4 to January 20 for president and vice president, and to January 3 for senators and representatives
Amendment 21 (1933): Repeal of prohibition (18th Amendment); state laws over alcohol remain
Amendment 22 (1951): Two-term limit for presidency; individuals who have served over two years of someone else's term cannot be elected more than once
Amendment 23 (1961): Voting for president in District of Columbia; citizens get to vote and the District has 3 electoral votes in the electoral college
Amendment 24 (1964): Abolition of poll tax in national elections; cannot be denied suffrage rights due to inability to pay poll tax
Amendment 25 (1967): Presidential succession; line of succession as follows: President, Vice President, Speaker of the House, Senator Pro Tempore, Secretary of State
Amendment 26 (1971): Lower voting age to 18 (previously 21)
Amendment 27 (1992): Election must come between the time a law is passed; ban the increasing of the pay for senators and representatives before elections of new senators and representatives
Amendment 2 (1791): Right to bear arms (militia); a well organized militia has the right to bear arms in their own defense
Amendment 3 (1791): Limit on quartering of troops; no quartering of troops in private residences during times of peace or war
Amendment 4 (1791): Protection against unreasonable search/seizure; need to have search warrant or probable cause to search, protects right to privacy
Amendment 5 (1791): Due process; double jeopardy; self-incrimination; designed to protect persons accused of crimes
Amendment 6 (1791): Right to speedy trial; includes right to counsel and right to confront witnesses; trial cannot be delayed without justification
Amendment 7 (1791): Trial by jury in civil cases; jury comprised of your "peers" and the decision of the jury cannot be reexamined by another jury in the United States unless legal justification, in the form of misconduct or otherwise, is provided
Amendment 8 (1791): No excessive bail/fine; no cruel/unusual punishment; also gives citizens the right t bail and the right to remain in jail while awaiting trial
Amendment 9 (1791): People retain rights; the people have rights that extend beyond those explicitly given to them in the Constitution
Amendment 10 (1791): Powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states or the people;
Amendment 11 (1798): States cannot be sued by individuals; guarantees state sovereign immunities protecting them form suits by citizens residing out of state or by foreigners that do not reside within state borders
Amendment 12 (1804): Electoral college; modified and clarified process for electing president and vice president (states have electoral vote based on population, all votes cunt toward popular vote)
Amendment 13 (1865): Abolition of slavery; forbids forced servitude unless used for capital punishment for criminal offense
Amendment 14 (1868): Equal protection under the law, post Civil War definition of citizenship (all persons born in and/or naturalized in the United States); granted the rights of citizens to all such persons
Amendment 15 (1870): Right to vote guaranteed irrespective of race, color, or former condition of slavery; African-American men could now vote
Amendment 16 (1913): Income tax; congress can levy and collect a tax equaling a percentage of ones annual income
Amendment 17 (1913): Direct election of senators; elected by popular vote of people
Amendment 18 (1919): Prohibition; illegal to sell/manufacture/transport alcoholic or intoxicating beverages
Amendment 19 (1920): Women's suffrage; women now have the right to vote
Amendment 20 (1933): End to lame-duck session of Congress (change in when President and Congress take office); changed inauguration date from March 4 to January 20 for president and vice president, and to January 3 for senators and representatives
Amendment 21 (1933): Repeal of prohibition (18th Amendment); state laws over alcohol remain
Amendment 22 (1951): Two-term limit for presidency; individuals who have served over two years of someone else's term cannot be elected more than once
Amendment 23 (1961): Voting for president in District of Columbia; citizens get to vote and the District has 3 electoral votes in the electoral college
Amendment 24 (1964): Abolition of poll tax in national elections; cannot be denied suffrage rights due to inability to pay poll tax
Amendment 25 (1967): Presidential succession; line of succession as follows: President, Vice President, Speaker of the House, Senator Pro Tempore, Secretary of State
Amendment 26 (1971): Lower voting age to 18 (previously 21)
Amendment 27 (1992): Election must come between the time a law is passed; ban the increasing of the pay for senators and representatives before elections of new senators and representatives