constitutional amendments
Foundational law revisions
Constitutional amendments are formal changes or additions to a constitution, the foundational legal document of a nation or state.
In the United States, the Constitution has been amended twenty-seven times, with the first ten amendments known as the Bill of Rights.
The amendment process typically requires supermajority approval: The amendment passed Congress but failed to win ratification by the states.
Amendments may expand rights, restrict government power, or update outdated provisions.
Formal approval by authority
- senateLegislative governing body
- houseResidential building
- proposalFormal plan for consideration
- conventionAgreed standard of behavior
two-thirds · three-fourths · state legislatures · certification · proclamation · deadline · rescission · supermajority
Divided governmental authority system
- jurisdictionLegal authority's scope
- separation of powersConstitutional distribution of authority
- checks and balancesConstitutional power-limiting framework
- executive powerGovernment's enforcement capacity
judicial review · states' rights · enumerated powers · reserved powers · term limits · succession · electoral college · impeachment
Absence of unjust constraint
- suffrageRight to cast ballots
- speechOral communication ability
- pressApply force downward
- assemblyConstructing from components
religion · petition · bear arms · privacy · due process · equal protection · voting rights · civil liberties
Improve by correcting faults
- movementChange in position
- campaignOrganized effort toward goal
- petition driveOrganized effort collecting signatures
- lobbyingAdvocating to decision-makers
ratification
Formal approval by authority
convention · two-thirds · three-fourths · state legislatures · certification · proclamation · deadline · rescission · supermajority · bicameral
federalism
Divided governmental authority system
- jurisdictionLegal authority's scope
- separation of powersConstitutional distribution of authority
- checks and balancesConstitutional power-limiting framework
executive power · judicial review · states' rights · enumerated powers · reserved powers · term limits · succession · electoral college · impeachment · presidential election
liberty
Absence of unjust constraint
assembly · religion · petition · bear arms · privacy · due process · equal protection · voting rights · civil liberties · freedom of expression
reform
Improve by correcting faults
- movementChange in position
- campaignOrganized effort toward goal
- petition driveOrganized effort collecting signatures
lobbying · grassroots · activism · coalition · advocacy groups
- Swiss politicsdirect democracy, cantons, referendums, initiatives, popular vote
- lawlaw, lawyer, lawyers, attorney, attorneys
- lawslaws, statute, ordinance, acts, statutes
- Canadian GovernmentHouse of Commons, Senate, Prime Minister, federal government, parliamentary democracy
- constitutional lawBill of Rights, charters, separation of powers, checks and balances, equal protection
- ballot measuresproposition, propositions, initiative, measures, bond measure
constitutional amendmentsstatutory law
Legislature-made legal rules
statutes · executive orders · bylaws · regulations · administrative rules
constitutional amendmentsoriginal text
First unedited version
constitutional amendmentsconstitutional conventions
Unwritten governmental norms
institute, constitution, amendment, amended, constituent, amending, constitutional, reconstitute, instituted