Bill of Rights (Amendments 1-10) & Additional Amendments 11-27

of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent

misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive

clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence

in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of

America, in Congress assembled, two thirds of both Houses concurring, that

the following Articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States,

as amendments to the Constitution of the United States, all, or any of which

Articles, when ratified by three fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid

to all intents and purposes, as part of the said Constitution; viz.

Articles in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the United States

of America, proposed by Congress, and ratified by the Legislatures of the several

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting

the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;

or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government

for a redress of grievances.

Amendment II

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State,

the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Amendment III

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent

of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and

effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated,

and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or

affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the

persons or things to be seized.

Amendment V

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime,

unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising

in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time

of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence

to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any

criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty,

or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken

for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment VI

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy

and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the

crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously

ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation;

to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process

for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel

for his defence.

Amendment VII

In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty

dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by

a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any Court of the United States, than

according to the rules of the common law.

Amendment VIII

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel

and unusual punishments inflicted.

Amendment IX

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed

to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited

Passed by Congress March 4, 1794. Ratified February 7, 1795.

Note: Article III, section 2, of the Constitution was modified by amendment

11.

The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to

any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United

States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign

State.

Amendment XII

Passed by Congress December 9, 1803. Ratified June 15, 1804.

Note: A portion of Article II, section 1 of the Constitution was superseded

by the 12th amendment.

The Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President

and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the

same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted

for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President,

and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and

of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for

each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat

of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate;

— the President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House

of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted;

— The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the

President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed;

and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest

numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the

House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President.

But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation

from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of

a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the

states shall be necessary to a choice. [And if the House of Representatives

shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon

them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President

shall act as President, as in case of the death or other constitutional disability

of the President. –]* The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President,

shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number

of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two

highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a

quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators,

and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person

constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to

that of Vice-President of the United States.

*Superseded by section 3 of the 20th amendment.

Amendment XIII

Passed by Congress January 31, 1865. Ratified December 6, 1865.

Note: A portion of Article IV, section 2, of the Constitution was superseded

by the 13th amendment.

Section 1.

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime

whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United

States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2.

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Amendment XIV

Passed by Congress June 13, 1866. Ratified July 9, 1868.

Note: Article I, section 2, of the Constitution was modified by section 2 of

the 14th amendment.

Section 1.

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction

thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.

No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or

immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any

person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny

to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Section 2.

Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to

their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State,

excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for

the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States,

Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State,

or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants

of such State, being twenty-one years of age,* and citizens of the United States,

or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime,

the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which

the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens

twenty-one years of age in such State.

Section 3.

No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President

and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United

States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member

of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State

legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support

the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or

rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.

But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

Section 4.

The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including

debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing

insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United

States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in

aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for

the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and

claims shall be held illegal and void.

Section 5.

The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the

provisions of this article.

*Changed by section 1 of the 26th amendment.

Amendment XV

Passed by Congress February 26, 1869. Ratified February 3, 1870.

Section 1.

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged

by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous

condition of servitude–

Section 2.

The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Amendment XVI

Passed by Congress July 2, 1909. Ratified February 3, 1913.

Note: Article I, section 9, of the Constitution was modified by amendment 16.

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever

source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without

regard to any census or enumeration

Amendment XVII

Passed by Congress May 13, 1912. Ratified April 8, 1913.

Note: Article I, section 3, of the Constitution was modified by the 17th amendment.

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each

State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall

have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite

for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the

executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such

vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive

thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies

by election as the legislature may direct.

This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term

of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution

Amendment XVIII

Passed by Congress December 18, 1917. Ratified January 16, 1919. Repealed by

amendment 21.

Section 1.

After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale,

or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into,

or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject

to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.

Section 2.

The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce

this article by appropriate legislation.

Section 3.

This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an

amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as

provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission

hereof to the States by the Congress

Amendment XIX

Passed by Congress June 4, 1919. Ratified August 18, 1920.

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged

by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Passed by Congress March 2, 1932. Ratified January 23, 1933.

Note: Article I, section 4, of the Constitution was modified by section 2 of

this amendment. In addition, a portion of the 12th amendment was superseded

by section 3.

Section 1.

The terms of the President and the Vice President shall end at noon on the

20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon

on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended

if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall

then begin.

Section 2.

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall

begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a

different day.

Section 3.

If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President

elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If

a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning

of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the

Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified;

and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President

elect nor a Vice President shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act

as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and

such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall

have qualified.

Section 4.

The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons

from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President whenever the

right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death

of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever

the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.

Section 5.

Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the

ratification of this article.

Section 6.

This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an

amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several

States within seven years from the date of its submission.

Amendment XXI

Passed by Congress February 20, 1933. Ratified December 5, 1933.

Section 1.

The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States

is hereby repealed.

Section 2.

The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or Possession

of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in

violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

Section 3.

This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an

amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided

in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof

to the States by the Congress.

Amendment XXII

Passed by Congress March 21, 1947. Ratified February 27, 1951.

Section 1.

No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice,

and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President,

for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President

shall be elected to the office of President more than once. But this Article

shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this Article

was proposed by Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding

the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which

this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting

as President during the remainder of such term.

Section 2.

This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an

amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several

States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by

the Congress.

Amendment XXIII

Passed by Congress June 16, 1960. Ratified March 29, 1961.

Section 1.

The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall

appoint in such manner as Congress may direct:

A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number

of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be

entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State;

they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall

be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President,

to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and

perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

Section 2.

Passed by Congress August 27, 1962. Ratified January 23, 1964.

Section 1.

The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other

election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice

President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied

or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay poll

tax or other tax.

Section 2.

The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Amendment XXV

Passed by Congress July 6, 1965. Ratified February 10, 1967.

Note: Article II, section 1, of the Constitution was affected by the 25th amendment.

Section 1.

In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation,

the Vice President shall become President.

Section 2.

Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President

shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by

a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

Section 3.

Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate

and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that

he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he

transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties

shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.

Section 4.

Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers

of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide,

transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the

House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable

to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall

immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the

Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration

that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office

unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of

the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide,

transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the

Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the

President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon

Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that

purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt

of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within

twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds

vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and

duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same

as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties

of his office.

Amendment XXVI

Passed by Congress March 23, 1971. Ratified July 1, 1971.

Note: Amendment 14, section 2, of the Constitution was modified by section

1 of the 26th amendment.

Section 1.

The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or

older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any

State on account of age.

Section 2.

The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Amendment XXVII

Originally proposed Sept. 25, 1789. Ratified May 7, 1992.

No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives,

17-Jun-2005