The Quartering Acts during the American Revolutionary War allowed British soldiers to ask for lodgings in settlers’ homes, leading to the Third Amendment of the US Constitution which prohibits soldiers from lodging in homes without consent. The amendment protects privacy and property rights, but is rarely applied. It is related to the Fourth Amendment, which […]
The Lautenberg Amendment, enacted in 1996, makes it illegal for individuals convicted of domestic violence to possess firearms or ammunition. It applies to soldiers and law enforcement officers and has been challenged under the Second and Tenth Amendments, but upheld by the Supreme Court. The Lautenberg Amendment is a nickname for an amendment to the […]
The Seventh Amendment of the US Constitution allows for a jury trial in civil cases where the dispute is worth over $20 USD. It aims to maintain a distinction between the roles of judges and juries, as in common law. This right is enforced at the federal level, but individuals can waive it, and state […]
The 19th Amendment to the US Constitution gave women the right to vote and Congress the power to enforce it. Before its passage, women faced discrimination in many areas. The suffragist movement, which began in the mid-19th century, worked to secure women’s rights. In 1918, a successful campaign was launched to influence voters to support […]
The Platt Amendment allowed the US to withdraw troops from Cuba after the Spanish-American War, but gave them control over Cuba’s political and economic affairs. It was passed to replace the Teller Amendment, which required the US military to relinquish control of the island to the Cuban people. The Platt Amendment disenfranchised much of the […]
The 26th Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1971, prohibits age-based denial of voting rights for those aged 18 or older. It was adopted in response to student antiwar activism and a Supreme Court decision. The amendment has two sections, with the second reserving the right of Congress to enforce it. The ratification process […]
The 18th Amendment to the US Constitution prohibited the production, transport, and sale of alcohol, leading to the Prohibition era and an increase in illegal activity and organized crime. The amendment failed to create a nationwide temperance movement and was eventually repealed by the 21st Amendment in 1933. The problems created by organized crime were […]
The Prohibition Amendment, enacted in 1920, banned the manufacture and sale of alcohol in the US, leading to a huge underground market and organized crime. The Temperance Movement, which called for the ban of all alcohol use, was largely successful in passing anti-alcohol laws in two-thirds of all US states. The Prohibition Amendment was ratified […]
The Teller Amendment prevented the US from annexing or governing Cuba after the Spanish-American War. It was introduced by Colorado Senator Henry Teller, possibly to protect the sugar industry. The amendment was later repealed by the Platt Amendment, allowing the US to maintain a military presence in Cuba. The Teller Amendment is an amendment made […]
The Eighth Amendment to the US Constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishments and excessive bail bonds. It was ratified in 1791 and supplemented by the 14th Amendment. The amendment outlawed punishments deemed excessive or removed from society’s values, and limited punishments degrading human dignity, arbitrary, rejected by society, or useless. The death sentence is controversial, […]
The 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution limits the presidency to two four-year terms, preventing a monarchy-like structure. Franklin Delano Roosevelt served a third and fourth term due to wartime conditions, but died early in his fourth term. Vice President Harry Truman succeeded him and was the only exception to the amendment. Critics argue that […]
The Ninth Amendment to the US Constitution protects unenumerated rights not mentioned elsewhere in the Constitution. It supplements the Bill of Rights and protects personal freedoms from state and federal violations. The Supreme Court interprets these rights, but some argue it does not give judges the power to determine them. The amendment was controversial and […]
The Fifth Amendment outlines the rights of individuals charged with a crime, including the right to a fair trial, protection against self-incrimination, and the prohibition of double jeopardy. It also establishes the concept of due process, influenced by Magna Carta, and obliges the state to demonstrate criminal behavior before taking action against a person. The […]
The Twelfth Amendment changed the Electoral College process for electing the president and vice president, requiring each elector to have one vote for each position. If no candidate wins a majority, the House of Representatives votes on the top three presidential candidates, while the Senate votes on the top two vice presidential candidates. The amendment […]
The US Constitution allows for amendments, including the 23rd Amendment which grants Washington, DC residents the right to vote for the President and Vice President. DC is a special district and was not originally intended to have non-government residents, but the population grew and campaigned for voting rights. The 23rd Amendment gives DC the same […]
New Jersey allowed some single women to vote in 1776, but the law was changed in 1807 to only allow adult white male taxpaying citizens to vote. This made New Jersey unique as the other 12 original states only allowed male voters. Only well-off single women were able to vote in New Jersey, as married […]
The First Amendment to the US Constitution includes freedom of speech, press, religion, peaceful assembly, and petitioning the government. It was inspired by Enlightenment thinkers and added to the Constitution by James Madison with help from Thomas Jefferson. While there are exceptions to free speech and press, these rights are important for democracy and have […]
The Privacy Amendment, or Fourth Amendment, protects citizens from unreasonable search and seizure by government agents. Police must have probable cause or a warrant to search private places. Judges use subjective and objective tests to evaluate privacy expectancy. Exceptions to the law exist for emergencies, plain sight seizures, workplace computers, waste stored outside, and vehicle […]
The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States, with Congress given the power to implement the law. It was passed in 1865 and was the first of three Reconstruction Amendments following the American Civil War. The amendment could not prevent the rise of Black Codes, but the 14th and 15th Amendments […]
The Second Amendment to the US Constitution is a controversial topic, with debate over its meaning and who it applies to. The amendment protects the right to bear arms, but the interpretation of “arms” and “militia” is unclear. The debate continues, with some arguing for responsible gun ownership and others for stricter gun control. The […]
