Amendment Process
Farewell Address (1796)
A president's message when they leave office Hamilton wrote - warns of long term allies, political parties, must have army
14th Amendment (1868)
Any individual born in the United States is a United States Citizen and is guaranteed "Due Process". Slaves and their children were automaticallhy considered citizens of the United States and entitled to the rights of a citizen, most notably including the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. -this amendment legitimized the citizenship of former slaves and implicitly protected them from violation of their citizenship rights by individual state governments. -it was also later used to extend teh rights listen in the Constitution to the states as well.
Amending the Constitution
27 amendments to he federal constitution. THere are four differnt ways to change the wording of the constiution: two methods for proposal and two methods for ratification Article 5 outlines the process of amending or making a change to the Constitution. Difficult process. meant to be stable, in order to provide for a stable gov.
The Northwest Ordinance (1787)
Legislation passed by Congress under the Articles of Confederation that provided for public schools, the sale of government land, and prohibited slavery in the Northwest Territories
The SHerman Anti-Trust Act
Forbade combinations that interfered with free trade. Did not give itself the power to be enforced. Famous for prosecuting more labor unions than trusts. was made during the Harrison administration to regulate large businesses outlawed trusts and other monopolies that fixed prices in restraint of trade.
The Monroe Doctrine (1823)
President James Monroe announced what became known as the Monroe Doctrine. He declared the Western Hemisphere closed to further European colonization and threatened to use force to stop further European interventions in the Americas.
The Civil RIghts Act (1964)
Prohibition of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religious belief, or national origin
8th Amendment
Protects against cruel and unusual punishment -freedom form excessive bail or cruel punishment
2nd Amendment
Protects against restriction of the right to bear arms -the right ot keep and bear arms
4th Amendment
Protects against unlawful searches and seizures -Regulations on government serach and seizure
5th Amendment
Protects against unsupported accusations of wrongdoing, self-incrimination, and double jeopardy (being charged for hte same crime twice) -Provisions concerning prosecution
3rd Amendment
Protects agianst quartering of troops in homes -No quartering of soldiers on private property w/o the consent of the owner
10th Amendment
Protects powers of states and individuals that are not specifically listen in teh Constitution -powers not prohibited by the constiution are reserved to the states.\
9th Amendment
Protects rigts not specifically listed -these rihgts are not necessarily the only rights
6th Amendment
Protects the right to a fair, speedy and public trial; the right to a lawyer, the right to confront accusers, and the right to an impartial jury -THe right to a speedy, public trial and the calling of witnesses.
7th Amendment
Protects the right to jury trial in civil cases -THe right to trial by jury
15th Amendment (1870)
Protects the voting power of citizens. This was passed to allow blacks to votes. Many southern states were refusing to allow blacks to votes in elections
21st Amendment (1933)
Repealed teprohibition of alcohol in response to a dramatic rise in organized crime and the black market, as well as the financial realities of the Great Depression. The 18th Amendment was the only amendment repealed to date.
Theodore Roosevelt's COrollary to theMonroe Doctrine (1905)
Roosevelts assertive approach to Latin America and the Caribbean has often been characterized as the "Big Stick" (it asked the Europeans not increase their influence or recolonize any part of the Western Hemisphere) it stated that not only were the nations of the Western Hemisphere not open to colonization by EUropean powers, but that the US had teh responsibility to preserve order and protect life and property in those countires.
16th Amendment (1913)
allows for the income tax. The first income taxed meant to tbe 1/2% oft he wealthiest Americans income. After 6 years, the top tax bracket was 73% and extended to multiple income brackets.
Bill of RIghts
based on principles established by the Magna Carta in 1215, the 1688 English Bill of Rights, and teh 1776 Virginia Bill of RIghts. In 1791, the federal government added 10 amendments to the United States Constitution that provided the following protections:
The Social Security Act (1935)
established unemployment insurance for workers who had lost their jobs. Created insurance for victims for work-related accidents and provided aid for poverty-stricken mothers and children, the blind and the disabled act from the New Deal in the 1930s
THe Articles of Confederations (1777)
first government of the new United States, created during the American Revolution (weaknesses included no court system, no common currency, no chief executive, & no power to tax)
3. Constitutional Convention
if 2/3 of the States call together a COnstitutional COnvention, the convention can amend the constiution. THese amendments take effect when 3/4 of the states ratify the new amendments.
eliminate property ownership
in the early 1800s, states began to eliminate property ownership and tax payment qualifications
due process
legal obligation of the gov to respect an individual's legal rights
Ending Suffrage in the United States
originally the constitution of 1789 provided the right to vote only to white male property owners. Through the years, suffrage was extended through the following 5 stages
Important Document
other than amendments to the constitution, important Supreme Court decisions, and the acts that established the National Park system, the following are among the greates American documetns bc of their impact on foreign and domestic policy:
24th Amendment (1964)
poll tax abolished. The poll tax was established to prevent many blacks from voting because blacks were typically poor and could not afford the tax. This was a racist practice with the intent to discriminate agianst blacks and the poor.
the purchase of Alaska
The purchase of this land was not favored by the general public
The Federalist Papers (1787-88)
This collection of essays by John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison, explained the importance of a strong central government. It was published to convince New York to ratify the Constitution.
The Truman Doctrine (1947)
Truman created this doctrine in response to Greece and Italy. Allowed for US intervention in countries threatened by communism. This lead to the beginning of the Cold War.
The Constitution (1787)
What is the supreme law of the land
26th Amendment (1971)
voting age is 18. Before this amendment, the voting age was 21 while the draft age was 18. THe public resented the fact a man could be drafted for military service but not vote.
The Bill of Rights (1791)
what do we call the first ten amendments to the constitution
The Marshall Plan (1948)
American initiative to aid Europe where the US gave $17 billion in economic support to help rebuild the European economies at the end of WWII.
1. Congress to State
An amendment can be passed if 2/3 of each house of Congress approves an amendment AND 3/4 of the State's legislatures ratify the amendment.
4. COnstitutional COnvention #2?
An amendment is proposed by a national convention that is called by COngress at the requrest of 2/3 of the state legislatures and ratified by 3/4 of the states in special conventions called for that purpose.
2. Congress to State #2?
An amendment is proposed by a two-thirds vote in each house of Congress and ratified by 3/4 of the states in special conventions called for that purpose
Declaration of Independence (1776)
1776 statement, issued by the Second Continental Congress, explaining why the colonies wanted independence from Britain.
The Alien and Sedition Act (1798)
(John Adam's Presidency) Federalists scared that Republicans and French were allies; French and Britain are coming to the US to escape war; laws to keep Republicans from complaining about how they are running things 1798; The Naturalization Act increased the waiting period for citizenship. The Alien Act gave the president the power to arrest and deport aliens. The Alien Enemy Act allowed the government to arrest and deport citizens of countries at war with the United States. The Sedition Act stifled opposition to the government and promised to punish those who would "defame [the government and members of the government], or bring either into contempt or disrepute, or to excite against either the hatred of the people of the United States."
1st Amendment
-protects against restriction on freedom of speech, religion, press, petition, and assembly -peaceful assembly, petition of the government, and petition of the press
The Compromise of 1850
..., Slavery becomes outlawed in Washington D.C., California is admitted as a free state, and Utah and New Mexico will determine whether slavery is allowed through popular sovereignty. Also, the Fugitive Slave Law is passed.
no more religious test
1810, there were no more religious tests for voting. In the late 1800s, the 15th Amendment protected citizens from being denied the right to vote because of race or color.
The Missouri Compromise (1820)
1820 agreement calling for the admission of Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state and outlawing slavery in future states to be created north of the 36, 30 parallel
The Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)
1854; sponsored by Senator Stephen Douglas, this would rip open the slavery debate; and create the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, opened new lands, repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, and allowed settlers in those territories to determine if they would allow slavery within their boundaries.
gender
1920 the 19th amendment prohibited the denial of the right to vote because of gender and women were given the right ot vote.
eliminated the poll tax
1961 and ratified in 1964 the 23rd amendment added the voters of the DIstrict of COlumbia to the presidential electorate and eliminated the poll tax as a condition for voting in federal elections. THe voting rights act of 1965 prohibited disenfranchisement through literacy tests and various other means of discrimination
voting age
1971, the 26th amendment set the minimum voting age at 18 years of age.
17th Amendment (1913)
Direct election of Senators. This Amendment is one of the most important amendments ever passed. Before the 17th Amendment, state legislatures chose Senators. THey were elected to protect the States's rights and powers. Senators served one to two terms due to changing politics in each state. -with the 17th Amendment, citizens directly elected Senators, as teh House of Reps do. THis amendment drastically changed the incentives of Senators. Instaed of protecting the States, they begin appealing to the people. This allowed for a great change in government-most notably the New Deal that greatly expanded teh scope and power of th Federal government at the cost of the State's power
The Emancipation Proclamation (1863)
Document written by Abraham Lincoln which freed the slaves in the states that were in rebellion. This changed the reason why the war was fought from preserving the Union to freeing the slaves.
The Homestead Act (1862)
Encouraged Western migration by providing settlers 160 acres of public land. In exchange, homesteaders paid a small filing fee and were required to complete five years of continuous residence before receiving ownership of the land.
The Louisana Purchase Treaty (1803)
In 1803: when thomas jefferson was president, france sold the louisiana territory to the united states. This made america more than double in size
13th Amendment (1865)
Outlawed slavery in teh United States; passed immediately after the Civil War
Notable Constitutional Amendments
THe Bill of RIghts (1791): passed to calm anti-Federalist fears of an over reaching government
19th Amendment (1920)
The right of voting is extended to women. This immediately doubled the size of the electorate, leading to many advances in women approved legislation.
18th Amendment (1919)
prohibition of alcohol. Temperance movements had been working for almost 80 years to restrict access to alcohol bc of the impact it had on family life, productivity and poverty