AMENDMENTS
CONSTITUTION
BILL OF RIGHTS
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 petitition the Government for
a redress of grievances.
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.
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 a manner to be prescribed by law.
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.
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 offence 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.
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.
Seventh Amendment
In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the
right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise
reexamined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of common law.
Eighth Amendment
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual
punishments inflicted.
Ninth Amendment
The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or
disparage others retained by the people.
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.
First 10 Amendments to the Constitution
https://www.aclu.org/united-states-bill-rights-first-10-amendments-constitution
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AMENDMENT 11
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.
AMENDMENT 12
The Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and
VicePresident, 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 VicePresident, and they shall make distinct
lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as VicePresident,
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 twothirds 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 VicePresident shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional
disability of the President.
The person having the greatest number of votes asVicePresident,shall be theVicePresident, 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
VicePresident; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of twothirds 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
VicePresident of the United States.
AMENDMENT 13
[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.
[2.] Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
AMENDMENT 14
[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.
[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 VicePresident
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 twentyone 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 twentyone years of age in such State.
[3.] No person shall be a Senator or Repre sentative in Congress, or elector of President and
VicePresident, 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 twothirds of
each House, remove such disability.
[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.
[5.] The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
AMENDMENT 15
[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.
[2.] The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
AMENDMENT 16
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.
AMENDMENT 17
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.
AMENDMENT 18
Repealed by Amendment 21, 12/5/1933
[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.
[2.] The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate
legislation.
[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.
AMENDMENT 19
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.
AMENDMENT 20
[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.
[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.
[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.
[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.
[5.] Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the ratification of this article.
[6.] This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution
by the legislatures of threefourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission.
AMENDMENT 21
[1.] The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.
[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.
[3.] The 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 hereof to the States by the Congress.
AMENDMENT 22
[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.
[2.] This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution
by the legislatures of threefourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission
to the States by the Congress.
AMENDMENT 23
[1.] The District constituting the seat of Govern ment of the United States shall appoint in such manner as
the Congress may direct:A number of electors of President andVice President equal to the whole number of
Senators and Representa tives 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 andVice 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.
[2.] The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
AMENDMENT 24
[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.
[2.] The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
AMENDMENT 25
[1.] In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President
shall become President.
[2.] Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of theVice President, the President shall nominate a Vice
President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.
[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.
[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, theVice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President;
otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.
AMENDMENT 26
[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.
[2.] The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
AMENDMENT 27
No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until
an election of Representatives shall have intervened.
United States Constitution 11th and Following Amendments
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American Civil Liberties Union
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