• October 2, 2024 at 5:01 pm by Steven Topazio

The 20th Amendment to the United States Constitution, also known as the “Lame Duck Amendment,” was ratified on January 23, 1933. The 20th Amendment’s primary purpose is to reduce the amount of time between the election of new federal officials and when they assume office, addressing the problem of the “lame duck” period where outgoing officials hold power without accountability to voters. The key provisions of the 20th Amendment are: Section 1: The terms of read More

• September 25, 2024 at 4:14 pm by Steven Topazio

The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified on August 18, 1920, granted women the right to vote. It was a significant milestone in the women’s suffrage movement. The text of the Nineteenth Amendment reads: Section 1: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” Section 2: “Congress shall have power to enforce this read More

• September 16, 2024 at 10:08 pm by Steven Topazio

The Eighteenth Amendment, ratified in 1919, instituted the prohibition of alcohol in the United States. It banned the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages. The amendment gave Congress and the states the power to enforce prohibition through appropriate legislation. The Eighteenth Amendment marked the start of the Prohibition era, which lasted until the amendment was repealed by the Twenty-first Amendment in 1933. The Twenty-first Amendment ended Prohibition, making the manufacture, sale, and transportation of read More

• September 11, 2024 at 4:58 pm by Steven Topazio

The Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified on April 8, 1913, established the direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote. Prior to this amendment, Senators were chosen by state legislatures. The text of the Seventeenth Amendment reads: Section 1: “The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in read More

• September 3, 2024 at 8:54 pm by Steven Topazio

The Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified on February 3, 1913, grants Congress the power to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states or basing it on the United States Census. The text of the Sixteenth Amendment reads: “The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.” Key points read More

• August 28, 2024 at 3:25 pm by Steven Topazio

The Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified on February 3, 1870, is one of the Reconstruction Amendments. It was designed to protect the voting rights of African American men following the Civil War. The text of the Fifteenth Amendment reads: Section 1: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous read More

• August 21, 2024 at 3:31 pm by Steven Topazio

The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified on July 9, 1868, is one of the most significant amendments in the Constitution. It addresses citizenship rights and equal protection under the law and was a key component of the Reconstruction Amendments following the Civil War. The text of the Fourteenth Amendment includes five sections, but its most influential provisions are found in the first section. The amendment reads: Section 1: “All persons born or read More

• August 12, 2024 at 3:36 pm by Steven Topazio

The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified on December 6, 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for a crime. It was the first of the three Reconstruction Amendments adopted after the Civil War. The text of the Thirteenth Amendment reads: Section 1: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any read More

• August 6, 2024 at 3:37 pm by Steven Topazio

The Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified on June 15, 1804, modifies the process for electing the President and Vice President. It was designed to rectify flaws in the original electoral process outlined in Article II, Section 1, Clause 3 of the Constitution. The text of the Twelfth Amendment reads: “The Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not read More