the other 17 amendments
There are 27 amendments in total, right? The first ten make up the Bill of Rights (previous page) and the other 17 make up the rest of 27. These amendments were ratified with much longer intervals between them than for the Bill of Rights amendments. Did you know that the most recent amendment to be ratified was all the way back in 1978? Though thousands of amendments have been proposed, only 27 have been ratified through the amendment process. These other 17 amendments are not as well known as the first ten, but are just as important.
the 11th amendment
The 11th amendment states that cases in which one citizen tries to sue another state would be removed from all of the federal court systems.
the 12th amendment
Because of this amendment, all electors must cast separate votes for the presidential and vice presidential election.
the 13th amendment
The 13th amendment banned slavery from the United States. This amendment, the 14th, and the 15th, together make up the "Civil War amendments", since they were ratified almost immediately succeeding the Civil War.
The 14th amendment
This amendment ensures equal protection under the law and deems all slaves as citizens with equal rights.
the 15th amendment
This amendment gave former slaves the right to vote.
the 16th amendment
The right to implement the modern income tax system was given to Congress by this amendment.
the 17th amendment
Because of this amendment, only direct election by popular vote could decide US Senators.
the 18th amendment
The 18th amendment banned the production and sale of liquor. This amendment was highly abhorred and ignored, and was bound for change.
the 19th amendment
The 19th amendment granted women the right to vote, equal citizenship, and equal protection. It successfully ended the women's suffrage movement in the early 1920's. Full rights, such as work and full pay, though, did not come until almost the 1950's.
the 20th amendment
The 20th amendment establishes the details dealing with the beginning and ending of the terms of the elected federal officials. It also deals with the scenarios where there is no Elected President, alone or together with the Elected Vice President, who can't take office at the next term.
the 21st amendment
This amendment repealed the 18th amendment, allowing again the sale and production of liquor and alcohol.
The 22nd amendment
This amendment restricted the number of terms a president (and vice president) can serve to 2.
the 23rd amendment
The 23rd amendment gave 3 Electoral College votes to Washington, D.C., who didn't have any at the time.
the 24th amendment
This amendment banned poll taxes that were used in the Jim Crow era to revoke slave vote.
the 25th amendment
This amendment outlines the procedures for when a federal official (in the executive branch) is not able to hold office anymore.
the 26th amendment
This amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.
the 27th amendment
This amendment says that Congress cannot raise their own pay, but may raise the pay of the next Congress.