27 Amendments Module

1st Amendment

• Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, Association, and Petition

• Right to Bear Arms

• Protection Against Unreasonable Searches and Seizures

• Right to a Speedy and Public Trial

24th Amendment

• Banned poll taxes in national elections (Civil Rights Movement)

• Established the right to vote for women

• Abolished slavery in the United States

• Granted citizenship to all persons born in the U.S.

26th Amendment

• Lowered the national voting age to 18 (Vietnam)

• Established the right to vote for women

• Prohibited the poll tax in federal elections

• Granted voting rights to citizens over 21

16th Amendment

• Gave Congress the power to collect an income tax (Progressive Era)

• Abolished poll taxes in federal elections

• Granted women the right to vote

• Prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcohol

8th Amendment

• No excessive bail, fines, and no cruel and unusual punishment

• Right to bear arms

• Freedom of speech and religion

• Protection against unreasonable searches and seizures

13th Amendment

• Abolished slavery (Reconstruction)

• Established voting rights for women

• Granted citizenship to former slaves

• Prohibited alcohol

20th Amendment

• Reduced the 'lame duck' period for Congress and the President; new presidents now take office on January 20th instead of March 4th

• Extended the term of Congress members to six years

• Changed the voting age to 18 years

• Established the presidential line of succession

19th Amendment

• Citizens cannot be denied the right to vote because of sex (women's suffrage, Progressive Era)

• Citizens cannot be denied the right to vote because of race (Civil Rights Act)

• Citizens must be at least 21 years old to vote

• Voting rights are only granted to property owners

17th Amendment

• Voters in each state directly elect US Senators (popular vote) instead of being selected by each state's legislature (Progressive Era)

• US Senators are appointed by the President of the United States

• Each state's legislature elects US Senators

• Voters in each state elect members of the House of Representatives

27th Amendment

• Congress cannot receive a pay raise until after the next election

• Congress can change its pay at any time

• Congress must approve all tax increases

• Congress cannot be sued for its legislative actions