Lesson 6: Federalism and Amendments

Key Idea

The framers of the Constitution understood that society would change over time. To ensure the document could adapt to future needs, they created a formal process for changing it. A change or addition to the Constitution is called an amendment. This ability to be formally changed makes the Constitution a "living document" that can remain relevant for generations.

The amendment process is a key example of federalism, the division of power between the national and state governments. An amendment must first be proposed, usually by a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress. Then, it must be ratified, or approved, by three-fourths of the state legislatures. The framers intentionally made this a difficult and slow process to ensure that changes to the nation's fundamental law were made with broad support and careful consideration.

Key Idea

The U.S. Constitution not only created a government but also established fundamental rights to protect citizens. The First Amendment guarantees basic freedoms, including speech, religion, and the press. These rights allow people to express themselves and participate in society without unfair government interference.

The Constitution also ensures fair treatment from the government. The right to due process requires officials to follow established legal procedures. Additionally, the principle of equal protection guarantees that the law is applied in the same way to all people, preventing the government from treating groups of citizens differently.

Key Idea

For much of American history, the right to vote was largely determined by individual states, and most denied this right to women. This led to a long and organized political movement known as women's suffrage, which sought to secure voting rights for all women through a constitutional amendment.

After decades of advocacy, the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified in 1920. It states that the right of citizens to vote "shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." This amendment was a landmark expansion of American democracy, overriding state laws to guarantee the vote to millions of women.

Key Idea

The Constitution created a system of federalism, which divides authority between the national government and the individual state governments. This structure gives the national government specific powers, such as declaring war and regulating trade between states.

The Tenth Amendment reinforces this division. It states that any powers not granted to the federal government are reserved for the states or the people. These reserved powers often include managing local governments, education, and public safety.