Bill of Rights

Bill of Rights and Amendments

Kandace Chambers

History 301

March 4, 2013

Professor Karen Levosky

Bill of Rights and Amendments Paper

On September 17 1789, the ratification of the United States Constitution was made law. The Framers knew that the Constitution would need to change and grow with the needs of the people and country. So when the Constitution was created the Framers put in Article V, which is the way amendments can be added to the Constitution like the Bill of Rights, amendments 13, 14, 15, along with many more amendments have help make the United States (U.S.) the way it is today. The Bill of Rights protects the people of the United States from the government infringing on the peoples unalienable rights.

Amendments

An amendment occurs when there is a change to the Constitution by a vote. They are important because of the way the United States changes consistently, or necessary to help ensure that the government does not overstep its jurisdiction or boundary. The Framers put Article V in the Constitution to permit amendments and help with changing times (UMKC School of Law, 2011). According to the US Constitution:

“The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage...