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430 lines
19 KiB
Plaintext
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AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES
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Amendment I (1791)
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Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of
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religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or
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abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the
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right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition
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the government for a redress of grievances.
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Amendment II (1791)
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A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security
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of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear
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arms, shall not be infringed.
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Amendment III (1791)
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No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house,
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without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but
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in a manner to be prescribed by law.
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Amendment IV (1791)
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The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses,
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papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures,
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shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon
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probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and
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particularly describing the place to be searched, and the
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persons or things to be seized.
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Amendment V (1791)
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No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise
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infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand
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jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces,
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or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war
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or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the
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same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb;
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nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness
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against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property,
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without due process of law; nor shall private property be
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taken for public use, without just compensation.
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Amendment VI (1791)
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In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right
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to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state
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and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which
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district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and
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to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation;
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to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have
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compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor,
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and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.
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Amendment VII (1791)
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In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall
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exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be
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preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise
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reexamined in any court of the United States, than according
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to the rules of the common law.
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Amendment VIII (1791)
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Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines
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imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
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Amendment IX (1791)
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The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall
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not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
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Amendment X (1791)
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The powers not delegated to the United States by the
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Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are
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reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.
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Amendment XI (1798)
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The judicial power of the United States shall not be construed
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to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted
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against one of the United States by citizens of another state,
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or by citizens or subjects of any foreign state.
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Amendment XII (1804)
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The electors shall meet in their respective states and vote
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by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at
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least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with
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themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person
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voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person
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voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct
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lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons
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voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for
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each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit
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sealed to the seat of the government of the United States,
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directed to the President of the Senate;--The President of
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the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of
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Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall
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then be counted;--the person having the greatest number of
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votes for President, shall be the President, if such number
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be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and
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if no person have such majority, then from the persons having
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the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those
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voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall
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choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing
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the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the
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representation from each state having one vote; a quorum
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for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from
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two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states
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shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of
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Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the
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right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day
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of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act
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as President, as in the case of the death or other
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constitutional disability of the President. The person
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having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall
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be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the
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whole number of electors appointed, and if no person have a
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majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the
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Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the
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purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of
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Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary
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to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the
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office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President
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of the United States.
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Amendment XIII (1865)
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Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except
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as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been
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duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any
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place subject to their jurisdiction.
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Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this
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article by appropriate legislation.
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Amendment XIV (1868)
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Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States,
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and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the
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United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state
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shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges
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or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any
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state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without
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due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction
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the equal protection of the laws.
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Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several
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states according to their respective numbers, counting the whole
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number of persons in each state, excluding Indians not taxed. But
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when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors
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for President and Vice President of the United States,
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Representatives in Congress, the executive and judicial officers
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of a state, or the members of the legislature thereof, is denied
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to any of the male inhabitants of such state, being twenty-one
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years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way
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abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime,
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the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the
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proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear
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to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age
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in such state.
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Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in
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Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold
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any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under
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any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member
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of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a
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member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial
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officer of any state, to support the Constitution of the United
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States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against
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the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But
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Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove
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such disability.
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Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States,
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authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of
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pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection
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or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United
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States nor any state shall assume or pay any debt or obligation
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incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United
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States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave;
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but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held
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illegal and void.
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Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by
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appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
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Amendment XV (1870)
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Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote
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shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any
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state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
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Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this
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article by appropriate legislation.
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Amendment XVI (1913)
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The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on
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incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment
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among the several states, and without regard to any census
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of enumeration.
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Amendment XVII (1913)
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The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two
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Senators from each state, elected by the people thereof, for
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six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors
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in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for
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electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislatures.
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When vacancies happen in the representation of any state in the
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Senate, the executive authority of such state shall issue writs
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of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, that the
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legislature of any state may empower the executive thereof
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to make temporary appointments until the people fill the
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vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.
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This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the
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election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes
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valid as part of the Constitution.
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Amendment XVIII (1919)
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Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this
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article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating
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liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation
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thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the
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jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.
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Section 2. The Congress and the several states shall have concurrent
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power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
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Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall
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have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the
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legislatures of the several states, as provided in the Constitution,
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within seven years from the date of the submission hereof
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to the states by the Congress.
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Amendment XIX (1920)
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The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not
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be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on
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account of sex.
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Congress shall have power to enforce this article by
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appropriate legislation.
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Amendment XX (1933)
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Section 1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall
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end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of
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Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January,
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of the years in which such terms would have ended if this
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article had not been ratified; and the terms of their
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successors shall then begin.
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Section 2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every
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year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of
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January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.
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Section 3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term
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of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice
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President elect shall become President. If a President shall not
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have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his
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term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify,
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then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a
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President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law
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provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a
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Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall
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then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act
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shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until
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a President or Vice President shall have qualified.
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Section 4. The Congress may by law provide for the case of the
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death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives
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may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have
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devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the
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persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever
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the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.
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Section 5. Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day
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of October following the ratification of this article.
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Section 6. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall
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have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the
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legislatures of three-fourths of the several states within
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seven years from the date of its submission.
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Amendment XXI (1933)
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Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the
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Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.
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Section 2. The transportation or importation into any state,
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territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or
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use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws
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thereof, is hereby prohibited.
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Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall
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have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by
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conventions in the several states, as provided in the
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Constitution, within seven years from the date of the
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submission hereof to the states by the Congress.
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Amendment XXII (1951)
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Section 1. No person shall be elected to the office of the
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President more than twice, and no person who has held the
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office of President, or acted as President, for more than two
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years of a term to which some other person was elected President
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shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.
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But this article shall not apply to any person holding the office
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of President when this article was proposed by the Congress,
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and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office
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of President, or acting as President, during the term within
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which this article becomes operative from holding the office of
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President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.
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Section 2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall
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have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the
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legislatures of three-fourths of the several states within seven
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years from the date of its submission to the states by the Congress.
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Amendment XXIII (1961)
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Section 1. The District constituting the seat of government
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of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the
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Congress may direct:
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A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to
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the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to
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which the District would be entitled if it were a state, but in
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no event more than the least populous state; they shall be in
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addition to those appointed by the states, but they shall be
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considered, for the purposes of the election of President and
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Vice President, to be electors appointed by a state; and they
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shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided
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by the twelfth article of amendment.
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Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this
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article by appropriate legislation.
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Amendment XXIV (1964)
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Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote
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in any primary or other election for President or Vice President,
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for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or
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Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by
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the United States or any state by reason of failure to pay any
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poll tax or other tax.
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Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this
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article by appropriate legislation.
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Amendment XXV (1967)
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Section 1. In case of the removal of the President from office
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or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall
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become President.
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Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the
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Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President
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who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of
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both Houses of Congress.
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Section 3. Whenever the President transmits to the President
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pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
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Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to
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discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he
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transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary,
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such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice
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President as Acting President.
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Section 4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of
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either the principal officers of the executive departments
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or of such other body as Congress may by law provide,
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transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the
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Speaker of the House of Representatives their written
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declaration that the President is unable to discharge the
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powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall
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immediately assume the powers and duties of the office
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as Acting President.
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Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro
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tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
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Representatives his written declaration that no inability
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exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office
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unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal
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officers of the executive department or of such other body as
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Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the
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President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the
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House of Representatives their written declaration that the
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President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his
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office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling
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within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session.
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If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the
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|
latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session,
|
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|
within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble,
|
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|
determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President
|
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|
is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office,
|
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|
the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as
|
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|
Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the
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|
powers and duties of his office.
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|
|
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|
Amendment XXVI (1971)
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|
Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who
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are 18 years of age or older, to vote, shall not be denied or
|
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|
abridged by the United States or any state on account of age.
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|
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|
Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce this
|
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|
article by appropriate legislation.
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|
|
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|
-------------------------------------
|
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|
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|
Prepared by Gerald Murphy (The Cleveland Free-Net - aa300)
|
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|
Distributed by the Cybercasting Services Division of the
|
|||
|
National Public Telecomputing Network (NPTN).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Permission is hereby granted to download, reprint, and/or otherwise
|
|||
|
redistribute this file, provided appropriate point of origin
|
|||
|
credit is given to the preparer(s) and the National Public
|
|||
|
Telecomputing Network.
|
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|
V R T
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