Amendments To The Constitution Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Amendments To The Constitution?
The Constitution of the United States is a living document that has been amended many times since its ratification in 1788. Amendments are additions to or changes made to the original text of the Constitution and they shape how our government operates today. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were proposed by James Madison in 1789 and ratified on December 15th, 1791. Since then there have been several other amendments added over time, with some of them changing important aspects of American life significantly. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery in 1865 after it was passed by Congress and heavily supported by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War (1861-1865). This amendment was seen as a major accomplishment for civil rights activists who had worked hard to end this oppressive practice that had existed since America’s founding. Slavery remains illegal throughout all states today due to this amendment. Another significant amendment is the 19th Amendment which gave women full voting rights in 1920 after decades of activism from suffragettes such as Susan B Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. This amendment was an important victory for women’s rights advocates who fought long and hard against those who felt women should not be allowed to vote on public issues like men did at that time period. The 24th Amendment outlawed poll taxes in 1964, right before the Voting Rights Act 1965 was passed into law later that year. Poll taxes were used primarily in Southern states during Jim Crow segregation laws as a way to discourage poor people from voting because they would have difficulty affording these fees associated with registering or casting their ballots at polls on Election Day . With this amendment being ratified , citizens now had equal access to participating in elections no matter what their economic status may be . Finally, we could not forget about probably one of the most widely discussed amendments: The 2nd Amendment which guarantees individuals’ right to bear arms when it comes self-defense . Passed into law back in 1791 , it has become highly politicized over recent years due debates around gun control legislation being introduced by lawmakers across state lines . No matter where you stand on this issue , one thing remains true -the Second Amendment is constitutionally protected right for all US Citizens today . Overall, Amendments To The Constitution have played a vital role in shaping our current society here In America ever since its inception more than two centuries ago. From abolishing slavery , giving women right vote & outlawing poll taxes …to protecting individuals’ ‘right bear arms’ : each alteration altered history forever while impacting countless lives along way .