Us goverment : amending the constitution, History

Assignment Help:

Amending the Constitution

The Framers who wrote the U.S. Constitution were well aware that they could not foresee all the events, emergencies, and changes that would inevitably confront the government of the United States. As a result, they deliberately created a Constitution that would be flexible and adaptable. Many of the provisions in the Constitution, such as Congress's power to regulate commerce between the states, are deliberately broad, even vague, in order to allow legislators some latitude to adapt these powers to changing times and needs. Americans still debate the extent and the limits of Congress's power to regulate commerce, just as they debate many other provisions of the Constitution.

The main way that the Framers created a Constitution that could be adapted to changing times was to provide for that Constitution to be amended. Amending the U.S. Constitution is not easy, nor is it meant to be. James Madison and the other Framers wanted the Constitution to be changed only in rare circumstances, and only when there was overwhelming support for doing so. To amend the Constitution, the proposed amendment must first be approved by a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress, then submitted to the states. Three-quarters of the state legislatures (today 38 out of 50) must then ratify the amendment in order for it to be added to the Constitution. (Alternately, two-thirds of the states can request that a Constitutional convention be called to amend the Constitution, and proposed amendments can be ratified by Constitutional conventions in three-quarters of the states, instead of the by the state legislatures.)

 


Related Discussions:- Us goverment : amending the constitution

Explain why you would have voted for martin van buren, Compare and contrast...

Compare and contrast the Democratic and Whig parties of 1840 and assuming that you were an eligible voter in that year, explain why you would have voted for Martin Van Buren or Wil

Compare and contrast the differing business practices, Compare and contrast...

Compare and contrast the differing business practices and fur trading styles of the Hudson's Bay Company and the Northwest Company down to the merger of the two in 1821.

Reconstruction effort to ensure equal rights to freemen fail, Why did Congr...

Why did Congress' Reconstruction efforts to ensure equal rights to the freemen fail?

Compare japan under the tokugawa shogunate, Compare Japan under the Tokugaw...

Compare Japan under the Tokugawa Shogunate and in the Meiji Restoration. In addition to discussing major differences/similarities, you must also discuss their reactions to western

Hitler''s economic persecution of jews in germany involved, Hitler's econom...

Hitler's economic persecution of Jews in Germany involved putting Jews into death camps. barring Jews from working in civil service. teaching "racial science" courses in schools

Commercial radio during the 1920''s, Which of the following statement most ...

Which of the following statement most accurately characterizes the development of professional, commercial radio during the 1920's? a) The first national network, National Publi

American war-hawks had for wanting to go to war with mexico, What were all ...

What were all of the reasons American war-hawks had for wanting to go to war with Mexico? Try to make the reasoning debate-friendly and credible for going against someone who is an

Economic differences between slaves and indentured servants, Economic diffe...

Economic differences between slaves and indentured servants. Do you think economic realities played a role here? Or did it have more to do with race?

What best describes the situation of freedmen, What best describes the situ...

What best describes the situation of freedmen in the decade following the Civil war?

How did his rule compare to that of the assyrians, What were some of the re...

What were some of the reasons why Cyrus was successful as a ruler? How did his rule compare to that of the Assyrians?

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd