Twenty-Seventh Amendment

Ratified May 7, 1992


The twenty-seventh amendment states...
      No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.


What it means to me...
      This amendment prohibits Congress from raising their salaries during their terms of service. Members of Congress cannot receive a salary increase until after the next election. It was originally proposed as part of the original Bill of Rights, but it failed to be ratified at that time. It was later re-introduced in the early 1980's and was finally ratified in 1992.

The following is a cartoon depicting Congressional greed...

This political cartoon suggests that Congress is greedy and that their solution for our crumbling economy is to give themselves raises, to an extent.

The following is a second political cartoon about congress being greedy while we are suffering...

This political cartoon is suggesting that Congressman are greedy and are more likely to give themselves a pay raise at our expense. Everyone else is making sacrifices, but Congressman do not have the same mindset.

Twenty-Sixth Amendment

Ratified July, 1, 1971


The twenty-sixth amendment states...
      Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.
      Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.


What it means to me...
      This amendment lowered the voting age from 21 years old to 18 in federal, state, and local elections.

The following is a poster...

This is a poster that was created in support of lowering the voting age from the 1969 New Jersey campaign.

The following is a video of the signing of this amendment...

This is a video showing the signing of the 26th amendment to the US Constitution, which took place on July 5,  1971.

Twenty-Fifth Amendment

Ratified February 10, 1967


The twenty-fifth amendment states...
      Section 1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.
      Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.
      Section 3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.
      Section 4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume th epowers and duties of the office as Acting President.
      Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.


What it means to me...
      This amendment basically layed out the plan of succession for Presidents and gave an outline for President and Vice President power in case of vacancy or resignation.


The following is a newspaper article regarding the first Presidential resignation...

When President Nixon resigned from his Presidency, Ford was the one to take his place, as stated by the 25th amendment.

The following is a video relating to the 25th amendment...

In this video, Alec Baldwin reads the 25th amendment at People For the American Way Foundation's Constitution Reading  at the Great Hall at Cooper Union in New York. This event took place on September 1, 2004.

Twenty-Fourth Amendment

Ratified January 23, 1964

The twenty-fourth amendment states...
      Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason or failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.
      Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.


What it means to me...
      This amendment basically eliminated the poll tax. And Congress could enforce this law through legislation as well.

The following is a news article about the poll tax...

This newspaper article discusses our victory of overcoming the poll tax and how we are still struggling with the aspect of having to pay for an ID in order to vote.

The following ...

The above image depicts a group of people rallying for no more poll taxes. This was the biggest movement in our country's history in terms of everyone coming together and rallying for a single cause.

Twenty-Third Amendment

Ratified March 29, 1961

The twenty-third amendment states...
      Section 1. The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct: A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.
      Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.


What it means to me...
      This amendment basically amended Article 2, Section 2 of the Constitution because it gave electors to the District of Columbia. It  also gave Congress the authority to enforce the amendment through legislation.

The following is a video relating to this amendment...

This is a video some students made as a way to depict the 23rd amendment.

The following is another video relating to the 23rd amendment...

This is another student-made video to teach us about the 23rd amendment.

Twenty-Second Amendment

Ratified February 27, 1951

The twenty-second amendment states...
      Section 1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President, when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.
      Section 2. This Article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.


What it means to me...
      Basically, this amendment set Presidential term limits at two terms.


The following is a video about the 22nd amendment...

This video explains this amendment in detail, as well as gives examples of Presidents who served terms in this way.

The following is another video...

This video explains how Obama has plans to be in office for 8 to 10 years and how he wants to repeal this amendment.

Twenty-First Amendment

Ratified December 5, 1933

The twenty-first amendment states...
      Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby replaced.
      Section 2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.
      Section 3. The article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.


What it means to me...
      This amendment repealed the 18th amendment, therefor ending the Prohibition. This amendment returned the regulation of alcohol to the states.

The following is a video about the liquor industry...

This video shows Repeal Day, with iconic figures and historical video clips. Repeal Day is the day we earned the right to drink again.

The following is a news article about the prohibition...

This newspaper story is about the prohibition ending and how relieved the people were.