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Government Unit 2

Terms in this set (43)

How has the meaning of the US Constitution changed over time?
United State has grown and changed during the last 200 years, and so has the U.S. constitution, including amendments to our voting laws and age, and limiting presidential terms in office. For Example , In 1787, only white men over 21 could vote, and the President could serve for as long as he was elected! These Constitutional amendments changed those laws.
How are the Constitutional Amendments used to shape modern day life for American Citizens?
The amendment addresses citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws
In what ways can the Constitution be changed?
The constitution can only be amended, existing text cannot be modified . However, amendments can invalidate previous parts .For example, the 21st amendment repealed the 18th amendment.

There are in many ways the constitution can be changed . One will be ,One is for both houses of the US Congress must pass the amendment with a two-thirds majority.

The second is for two-thirds of the states to vote to convene a constitutional convention which will draft the amendment . After either of those occur, three-fourths of the states must vote to ratify the amendment. This can either be done by votes in the state legislatures, or be requiring that each state convene a special convention to ratify the amendments.
Describe the different processes used to formally and informally amend the Constitution.
1) Formal processes iN
* amendment can be proposed by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or
*By two-thirds of state legislatures requesting Congress to call a national convention to propose amendments.
*An amendment can be ratified by a favorable vote in three-fourths of all state legislatures or by such a vote in specially called ratifying conventions called in three-fourths of the states.

2)Informal Process ,The informal process, used by all branches of government, doesn't actually amend the Constitution. Instead, it refers to changes in how we interpret and use it. This can happen when Congress passes or legislation, when the president revises the role of that office through executive actions. Therefore this can also be considered informal changes or amendments.
How have Supreme Court decisions changed the meaning of the Constitution?
The Supreme Court cannot amend the Constitution in the sense of adding to, deleting from or changing the wording of the Constitution itself. That power is left to Congress . For example case of Marbury v. Madison, where the Supreme Court ruled that it had the judicial power to determine whether or not a particular law or governmental action is proper under the Constitution.
How has the English Bill of Rights influenced the rights guaranteed to Americans? i.e. Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights.
The establishment of the English Bill of Rights was precipitated by repeated abuses of power by King James II during his reign from 1685 to 1689. Among these abuses, he suspended acts of Parliament, collected taxes not authorized by law, and undermined the independence of the judiciary and the universities. He interfered in the outcome of elections and trials and refused to be bound by duly enacted laws. Furthermore, he attempted to impose Catholicism on a staunchly Protestant nation through the persecution of Protestant dissenters and the replacement of Anglican officials who refused to acquiesce in his illegal acts.
What changes were made to the Constitution with the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments?
The Thirteenth Amendment, to the United States Constitution officially abolished and continues to prohibit slavery to this day.

The Fourteenth Amendment, to the United States Constitution declared that all persons born or naturalized in the United tates are American citizens including African Americans.

The Fifteenth Amendment, to the United States Constitution prohibits each government in the United States from denying a citizen the right to vote based on that citizen's race, color, or previous condition of servitude. For Example, In 1863, President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, giving slaves their freedom. Nine years later this amendment gave citizens of all races the right to vote. It was a start in giving blacks full equality with whites.
How do the "Civil War Amendments" extend civil rights?
The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments are called the Civil War Amendments because they dealt with the aftermath of the Civil War. Generally speaking, they reaffirmed the rights of U.S. citizens.
How has the 14th Amendment been used to extended rights to other minority groups throughout history?
The Fourteenth Amendment promises that all persons in the United States shall enjoy the equal protection of the laws. This means that they cannot be discriminated against without good reason. All laws discriminate, because governments must make choices about what is lawful. For example, a law that prohibits burglary discriminates against burglars. But the Equal Protection Clause requires that a state have a good reason or a rational basis for such choices. In certain areas where there has been a history of past wrongful action such, as discrimination based on race or gender.
What changes were made to the Constitution with the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th amendments?
In 16 amendments ,Constitution allows the Congress to lvy an income tax without apportioning it among the states . amendment exempted income taxes from the constitutional requirements regarding direct taxes, after income taxes on rents, dividends, and interest were ruled to be direct taxes in the court case of Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co. 17 amendments,
Explain the arguments for and against electing senators directly.
The first proposal to amend the Constitution to elect senators by popular vote was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1826, but the idea did not gain considerable support until the late 19th century when several problems related to Senate elections had become evident. Several state legislatures deadlocked over the election of senators, which led to Senate vacancies lasting months and even years. In other cases, political machines gained control over state legislatures, and the Senators elected with their support were dismissed as puppets.
How does the Progressive Era amendments reflect the will of the people at that time?
The establishment of the English Bill of Rights was precipitated by repeated abuses of power by King James II during his reign from 1685 to 1689. Among these abuses, he suspended acts of Parliament, collected taxes not authorized by law, and undermined the independence of the judiciary and the universities. He interfered in the outcome of elections and trials and refused to be bound by duly enacted laws. Furthermore, he attempted to impose Catholicism on a staunchly Protestant nation through the persecution of Protestant dissenters and the replacement of Anglican officials who refused to acquiesce in his illegal acts.
What changes were made to the Constitution with the 15th, 19th, and 24th and 26th Amendments?
White entertainers often performed in "black people instead . Women were not accepted in most professions. Neither group was allowed to vote.
Election buttons
It wasn't until 1869, when the Fifteenth Amendment was ratified, that males of all races got the vote.
It took another 50 years, with the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, for women to finally get suffrage.
Voters lined up at polling booth
Then the 24th Amendment banned poll taxes that some states used to chase ethnic and poor people away from the ballot box. In some places, people needed to own property to vote - not anymore.
During the bitter years of the Vietnam War, Americans realized if young people can be ordered to fight and die, they deserve to choose their leaders. The Twenty-Sixth Amendment lowered the voting age to 18 years.
Explain the reasons behind the extension of suffrage for African Americans, females and 18 year olds.
Constitution granted American women the right to vote right known as woman suffrage. At the time the U.S. was founded, its female citizens did not share all of the same rights as men, including the right to vote. During America's early history as a nation, women were denied some of the key rights enjoyed by male citizens. For example, married women couldn't own property and had no legal claim to any money they might earn, and no female had the right to vote Because women were expected to focus on housework and motherhood, not politics.
What changes were made to the Constitution with the 12th, 20th, 22nd, 23rd and 25th Amendments?
12th ,The Electoral College chooses the president and the vice persident. They run together.
20th Moved the inauguration of the President and Vice President up to Jan. This means that a president elect only has to wait two months . 22th Limits the number of times that a person can be elected president. a person cannot be elected president more than twice, meaning a person who has served more than two years of a term to which someone else was elected cannot be elected more than once.
23th Grants the District of Columbia electors the number of electors being equal to the least populous state in the Electoral College. 25th succession to the Presidency and establishes procedures for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, as well as responding to Presidential disabilities.25th
extends the line of presidential succession
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