Amending The Constitution

The Constitution is a living document, and it can be changed formally. However, this process is lengthy. Approval of an amendment requires a 2/3 vote of both houses of Congress and ratification by ¾ of the states. This is to ensure that amendments are carefully considered, appropriate for national interest, and necessary for the long-term good of the country.

Your assignment is to write an amendment to the Constitution, which addresses an issue you consider important. As you write your amendment, keep the following in mind:

  1. Your amendment does NOT have to be written in formal language. It needs to be understandable and grammatically correct.
  2. You must label where your amendment will be placed in the Constitution, and this placement must be appropriate.
  3. Your amendment must address an issue of national (rather than state or local) importance.
  4. Your amendment must address an issue that is not adequately addressed by other laws. AKA DO YOUR RESEARCH! Look through the Constitution and more specifically look at the different amendments we currently have.
  5. Your amendment must be realistic.
  6. While we try to have fun in class, you must take this seriously.

On Tuesday we will gather all the amendments and I will elect a class leader to order the amendments. You will then debate them as a class. We will not cover all the amendments during the class so spend your time wisely on the debates.

Possible topics you may want to consider:

  • Campaign Finance (federal issue)
  • National ID (federal or state)
  • Voting Age (federal)
  • Locker Searches (federal)
  • Cell Phones (federal)
  • Drinking age (state issue but federal controls it)

As always be creative with this assignment! The amendment itself will count as a quiz grade. Below is the rubric:

Place in appropriate section of the Constitution______(3)

Clear and concise language______(5)

Rationale is convincing and well supported______(10)

Grammar and spelling is correct ______(2)

Total: ______(20)

Below is a sample:

The proposal would modify Amendment XXVI to raise the minimum voting age to thirty five years of age in federal elections.

  1. Section 1. The rights of citizens of the United States who are thirty-five years of
  2. age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any
  3. State on account of age.
  4. Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate
  5. legislation.

Argument: Voting patterns show that young people do not vote in sufficient number. Studies show that a social conscience is not developed for most people until their reach middle age. Surveys show that young people do not have an interest in, or knowledge of the political system or public policy issues. Therefore, it is in the public interest to delay voting until the age of thirty-five.