SS.7.C.3.5 Amendment Process

Which government institution may vote on constitutional amendments?

• bureaucracy

• executive

• judicial

• legislative

Based on the headline, what happened before the event presented in the image?

• Two-thirds of each house of Congress voted to support the amendment

• The president rejected the amendment after Congress voted to support it

• Three-fourths of each house of Congress voted to support the amendment

• The president forwarded the amendment to the states after Congress voted to support it

The passage below is from an 1848 speech by Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

"In the United States of America women [are] unrepresented in this government—our rights and interests wholly overlooked."

Based on the passage, which action in the modern political system would Elizabeth Cady Stanton support?

• amending the U.S. Constitution to extend suffrage (right to vote)

• amending the U.S. Constitution to guarantee due process

• Congress enacting a law limiting freedom of speech rights

• Congress enacting a law limiting freedom of association rights

Which of the following is necessary to propose a new amendment to the Constitution?

• approval by a popular vote held in every state
• approval by two thirds of the House and Senate
• approval by three quarters of the House and Senate
• approval by the legislatures in at least three fourths of the states

How many total amendments to the Constitution are there?

• 27
• 26
• 28
• 10

Ratification of proposed amendments happens

• by popular vote.
• at the state level.
• with a 3/4 approval of both houses of Congress.
• at the national level with a majority vote in Congress and presidential approval.

True or False. When ratifying a proposed amendment through state legislatures, states must ask the people to first vote on the issue.

• True. A referendum must be held to gauge the will of the electorate.
• False. There is no requirement to ask the public's opinion on the issue.

What is an amendment?

• a change to the constitution
• a suggestion to change the constitution
• to make something official
• a time where one gathers with one's family and drinks hot cocoa

What are the two steps to amending the U.S. Constitution?

• Proposal and Voting
• Introduction and Voting
• Proposal and Ratification
• Introduction and Voting

After a change to the constitution has been proposed by 2/3 of both Houses of Congress, what fraction of the state legislatures must ratify (approve) the amendment before it is added to the U.S. Constitution?

• 2/3

• 1/2

• 3/4

• 1/3