Amendments 11-27

Amendments 11-27

​ Our Constitution is the oldest written, national constitution in the world. It has been changed only 27 times in more than 1787 years. The first 10 amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, were adopted in 1791 and only 17 amendments have been added since then.

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​ The addition of the Bill of Rights to the Constitution is not the only change that has been made to the founding document of the United States. In fact, the Constitution has been changed 27 times since it was first written in 1787.

​ Different amendments have had a different impacts on the United States on over the years. While some amendments have been created to expand and/or protect the rights of citizens; others have changed the rules that the government must has to follow.

​ The amendments to the constitution can be grouped into three categories. These are Government Operations, Civil Rights, and Voting Rights amendments.

​Civil Rights Amendments

Civil rights amendments are amendments that protect the freedom of the people and make sure that all people are treated equally. These include Amendments 1-10, 13 and 14

​Government Operations Amendments

These include Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27. These amendments created laws that put rules in place for how the government is to be run.

​Voting Rights Amendments

Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

Match

The 3 types of amendments that have been made to the Constitution are

• Civil Rights Amendments

• Government Operations Amendments

• Voting Rights Amendments

changes that impact people's freedoms and privileges

changes that alter the way the government does its job.

changes that alter who is allowed to vote in elections.

• changes that impact people's freedoms and privileges

• changes that alter the way the government does its job.

• changes that alter who is allowed to vote in elections.

​Government Operations Amendments

​Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 all created laws that explain the rules for how the United States government works.

​Like the articles of the Constitution, these amendments tell us what the government is allowed and not allowed to do.

Multiple Choice

Which of these is not one of the four main functions of government?

• Help provide services like running water, trash collection, and emergency services to the citizens

• Put in place to make sure that the citizens follow the laws of the country.

• Put people and services in place to provide the citizens with protection

• Establishing a national religion.

• Provide guidance to the citizens and the community as needed.

​11th Amendment (1795)

​The Eleventh Amendment says that States cannot be sued in federal court by one of its citizens, a citizen of another state, or by a foreign country.

​This amendment gives states “sovereign immunity.” This means they are protected from being sued (unlike individuals or businesses) unless they give permission or the federal government gives permission.

Multiple Choice

What does it mean if a person "sues" you?

• They have filed a case in court because of something that you did to them or to their property

• It means that the person has requested a refund from you for something you have done.

• It means that the person is attempting to collect a debt from you.

• It means that the person is trying to take away your rights or privileges.

Dropdown

If something has "sovereign immunity" that means that you can only sue them if they ​

Select answer

to sue you or a ​

Select answer

that it is ok to sue them.

​12th Amendment (1804)

The 12th Amendment made changes to the way the president and vice president are elected. Before this amendment, the vice president was not picked by the presidential candidate like they are today. Instead, the person who became Vice President was the person who came in 2nd place in the presidential election.

​The 12th Amendment change this. Now, the president chooses his vice president before the election. So when the citizens vote in presidential elections, they are voting for the president and whoever the person running for president picked to be their vice president.

Match

Match the following

• Before the 12th Amendment

• After the 12th Amendment

The vice president of the United States was chosen because they came in 2nd place to the president

The person running to become president chooses a person to be their vice president

12

• The vice president of the United States was chosen because they came in 2nd place to the president

• The person running to become president chooses a person to be their vice president

• 12

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​16th Amendment (1913)

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

The 16th Amendment changed the way that the government was allowed to collect taxes. Prior to this amendment, the government ​collected most of the money that it got each year through "tariffs". A tariff is similar to a tax, but it is money that is paid on goods that are imported or exported from a country.

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​This amendment gave Congress the power to collect income taxes. This is why people have taxes taken out of their paychecks when they get paid for their job, because the government collects taxes on people's income, or the money that we earn.

Match

Match the following

• Taxes and tariffs are similar because

• A tariff is

• A tax is

they are both ways that the government collects money.

money that is charged when good are imported into or exported out of a country

money that a government collects from its citizens in the form of fees paid for good and services

• they are both ways that the government collects money.

• money that is charged when good are imported into or exported out of a country

• money that a government collects from its citizens in the form of fees paid for good and services

Multiple Choice

The 16th amendment created a new form of taxes in the United States, the income tax. What is an income tax.

• Money that a person pays when they purchase something

• Money that a government collects from a foreign country

• Money that a person has to pay to the government when they earn money

• A fee charged by the government to people who own property.

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​17th Amendment (1913)

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​This amendment changed the way the U.S. Senators are elected. Prior to this amendment, senators were chosen by the people elected to make the laws in each state; these people are known as state legislatures.

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​Now, citizens vote directly for the people to represent them in the United States Senate.

Match

Match the following

• Before the 17th Amendment

• After the 17th Amendment

the people who made laws for a state got to choose the Senators for the state.

the people of each state get to vote for their representatives in the Senate.

3

• the people who made laws for a state got to choose the Senators for the state.

• the people of each state get to vote for their representatives in the Senate.

• 3

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​20th Amendment (1933)

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​ The 20th Amendment has come to be known as the “Lame-Duck” Amendment. A lame duck is a political term; it refers to an elected official who has been defeated in an election, but is still serving in their position for a period of time.

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​ The reason that this amendment has become known as the "lame duck" amendment is because this amendment shortened the time between elections take place in the United States (November) and when the person elected takes over the position. Since a person in this position might have little motivation to work hard, they have come to be known as a lame duck.

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​ Before this amendment, elections would take place in November and the person elected would not take over their new position until March of the following year. Now, members of Congress begin on January 3 and the president is inaugurated (or begins their term in office) on January 20th.

Open Ended

Why do you think that the authors of the Constitution left so much time between when a person was elected to office and when they had to start doing the job in Washington D.C.?

Hint: think about the lack of technology that they had in the 1700s and 1800s

Multiple Choice

What is a "lame duck"?

• A person who has lost an election but still has a period of time where they are expected to do their job.

• A type of duck with an injured leg

• A slang term for a computer expert

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​22nd Amendment (1951)

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

The 22nd Amendment​ was approved by Congress in 1947. The 22nd Amendment states that the President cannot serve more than 2 full terms in office.

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​ The amendment was debated and approved by Congress in the years following the death of president Franklin Delano Roosevelt. FDR, as he is commonly known, was elected to the office of the president 4 times before he passed away. He passed away in April of 1945 and had been serving as president of the United States since 1933.

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

FDR was the only president to be elected president 4 times; in fact, no other president before was elected to a third term and no president ever will again.

Multiple Choice

An elected officials "term in office" is...

• The amount of money they are paid to do the job

• A period of time where an elected official does not have to represent their constituents

• The amount of time that they are elected to do the job for

• Not important

Multiple Choice

Amendment 22 says that the president is allowed to serve for two full terms.

How many years are there in 2 full terms?

• 2

• 4

• 6

• 8

Drag and Drop

A person can only be elected to ​

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terms in office as president; this is a total of ​

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years. However, if they were ​

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prior to becoming president and the president they were serving under died, they could also serve as ​

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for the remainder of that president's term.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

2

8

vice president

president

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​25th Amendment (1967)

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​The 25th Amendment was created to clarify what happens if the president or vice president pass or away, but also clarifies what happens in the Executive Branch if the president fails to do his duties or breaks his "oath of office".

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​The 25th Amendment says that...

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

-​If the president dies or cannot lead, the vice president takes over the office of the president

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​-If there is a vice presidential vacancy, the president will nominate a vice president who will be confirmed by a majority vote in Congress.

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​-If the president alerts the president of the Senate that he/she is unable to perform certain jobs, the vice president will take over those duties.

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

-If the majority of Congress or the cabinet believe that the president is unable to do their job, they can be removed from office by a vote of Congress

Dropdown

The 25th Amendment says a number of things. First, it says that if the ​

Select answer

dies, then the ​

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will become president. Second, it says that if anything happens to the ​

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, then the​

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can pick the person to replace them. Third, it says that if the ​

Select answer

alerts the Senate that they will be unable to perform their duties for a period of time, then then vice president may do those things.

Multiple Choice

True or False: If the majority of Congress decides that the president is unable to do his job, they can vote to remove him from office.

• True

• False

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​27th Amendment (1992)

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

The 27th Amendment says that ​any pay raise Congress gives it’s members cannot not go into effect until a new election has taken place.

​ Civil rights amendments include The Bill of Rights and Amendments 13 and 14. Civil rights are those guaranteed to all citizens by the Constitution. Whereas, Amendments 11, 12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 25 and 27 set up laws about how the government is to be run. Voting rights amendments are Amendments 15, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are about the voting rights of citizens of the United States.

​This amendment was first proposed in 1789. However, it was not passed until 1992

Open Ended

Why do you think it took so long to get this Amendment passed?

Hint: think about what the bill is about and who is in charge of creating the amendment