27 Amendments
1st Amendment – Freedom of religion, speech, assembly, press, and petition
*You have a right to express your own thoughts through newspaper or media
2nd Amendment – Right to bear arms
*You can own a gun
3rd Amendment – You don't have to quarter troops
*A soldier cannot live in your home without your permission
4th Amendment – Cannot be searched or seized without a reason
*A police man cannot search your home without a warrant or good reason
5th Amendment – Life, liberty, property. No double jeopardy, self-incrimination, or government seizure of property
*If investigators are questioning you, you don't have to talk
6th Amendment – Speedy and public trial
*Your trial will be quick and open to the public
7th Amendment – Your trial will be held in front of a jury of your piers
*Your trial will be held in front of your family and friends
8th Amendment – No cruel and unusual punishment
*Your punishment will be fair to the crime you committed.
9th Amendment – Any rights not written down are automatically given to the people
*Any rights not written down are automatically given to the people
10th Amendment – Powers not given to the nation or the states, belong to the people
*The states have the right to create their own laws not written in the constitution
11th Amendment – Federal courts can’t force states to be sued without the state’s consent
*The states are shielded from being sued by citizens of other states or countries.
12th Amendment – Election of VP and president separately in electoral college
*The Electoral College vote for President and Vice President will be separate
13th Amendment – Abolished slavery
*People cannot be forced to work for someone
14th Amendment – Citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the US
*If you are born in the United States you are considered to be an American citizen, even if your heritage isn't American.
15th Amendment – Everyone has the right to vote
*American citizens has the right to vote
16th Amendment – Income tax
*Citizens must pay taxes on their income
17th Amendment – The people instead of the state elects senators
*The people vote on their state senators
18th Amendment – Banned alcohol
*You cannot sale or drink alcoholic beverages
19th Amendment – Gave women the right to vote
*Women citizens now have the right to vote
20th Amendment – Set election and inauguration times closer to one another
*Election and inauguration times put into the same month
21st Amendment – Removed the ban on alcohol
*Freedom to sale and drink alcoholic beverages
22nd Amendment – 2 term or 10 year limit on presidential term
*Presidents can only be elected twice for only a 10 year limit
23rd Amendment – Gave district of Columbia the right to vote
*People who live in Washington D.C. are allowed to vote
24th Amendment – Prohibits poll taxes
*You do not have to pay a tax to vote
25th Amendment – Presidential succession
*If the president is not physically/mentally capable of running the country the vice president takes over
26th Amendment – Lowered voting age to 18
*If you are 18, you are allowed to vote
27th Amendment – Congress could only increase its pay for the next term. A useless Amendment
*Congress members can increase their own pay but it doesn't come into effect until their next term
*You have a right to express your own thoughts through newspaper or media
2nd Amendment – Right to bear arms
*You can own a gun
3rd Amendment – You don't have to quarter troops
*A soldier cannot live in your home without your permission
4th Amendment – Cannot be searched or seized without a reason
*A police man cannot search your home without a warrant or good reason
5th Amendment – Life, liberty, property. No double jeopardy, self-incrimination, or government seizure of property
*If investigators are questioning you, you don't have to talk
6th Amendment – Speedy and public trial
*Your trial will be quick and open to the public
7th Amendment – Your trial will be held in front of a jury of your piers
*Your trial will be held in front of your family and friends
8th Amendment – No cruel and unusual punishment
*Your punishment will be fair to the crime you committed.
9th Amendment – Any rights not written down are automatically given to the people
*Any rights not written down are automatically given to the people
10th Amendment – Powers not given to the nation or the states, belong to the people
*The states have the right to create their own laws not written in the constitution
11th Amendment – Federal courts can’t force states to be sued without the state’s consent
*The states are shielded from being sued by citizens of other states or countries.
12th Amendment – Election of VP and president separately in electoral college
*The Electoral College vote for President and Vice President will be separate
13th Amendment – Abolished slavery
*People cannot be forced to work for someone
14th Amendment – Citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the US
*If you are born in the United States you are considered to be an American citizen, even if your heritage isn't American.
15th Amendment – Everyone has the right to vote
*American citizens has the right to vote
16th Amendment – Income tax
*Citizens must pay taxes on their income
17th Amendment – The people instead of the state elects senators
*The people vote on their state senators
18th Amendment – Banned alcohol
*You cannot sale or drink alcoholic beverages
19th Amendment – Gave women the right to vote
*Women citizens now have the right to vote
20th Amendment – Set election and inauguration times closer to one another
*Election and inauguration times put into the same month
21st Amendment – Removed the ban on alcohol
*Freedom to sale and drink alcoholic beverages
22nd Amendment – 2 term or 10 year limit on presidential term
*Presidents can only be elected twice for only a 10 year limit
23rd Amendment – Gave district of Columbia the right to vote
*People who live in Washington D.C. are allowed to vote
24th Amendment – Prohibits poll taxes
*You do not have to pay a tax to vote
25th Amendment – Presidential succession
*If the president is not physically/mentally capable of running the country the vice president takes over
26th Amendment – Lowered voting age to 18
*If you are 18, you are allowed to vote
27th Amendment – Congress could only increase its pay for the next term. A useless Amendment
*Congress members can increase their own pay but it doesn't come into effect until their next term