The 27 amendments to the Constitution

Each amendment in one sentence. The first ten, the Bill of Rights, were ratified together in 1791.

1. 1st Freedom of religion, speech, the press, assembly and petition. · 1791
2. 2nd The right to keep and bear arms. · 1791
3. 3rd No quartering of soldiers in private homes in peacetime without the owner's consent. · 1791
4. 4th Protection against unreasonable searches and seizures; warrants need probable cause. · 1791
5. 5th Rights of the accused: grand juries, no double jeopardy, no forced self-incrimination, due process, and payment when property is taken. · 1791
6. 6th A speedy, public trial by jury, with a lawyer and the right to confront witnesses. · 1791
7. 7th A jury trial in many civil cases. · 1791
8. 8th No excessive bail or fines, and no cruel and unusual punishment. · 1791
9. 9th Listing some rights doesn't deny others the people keep. · 1791
10. 10th Powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or the people. · 1791
11. End of the Bill of Rights
12. 11th Limits lawsuits against states in federal court by people from other states or countries. · 1795
13. 12th Electors cast separate votes for president and vice president. · 1804
14. 13th Abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. · 1865
15. 14th Citizenship for everyone born or naturalized in the U.S.; equal protection and due process from the states; rules on apportionment. · 1868
16. 15th The right to vote can't be denied because of race or color. · 1870
17. 16th Congress may levy a federal income tax. · 1913
18. 17th Senators are elected directly by voters, not state legislatures. · 1913
19. 18th Prohibition of alcohol (repealed by the 21st). · 1919
20. 19th The right to vote can't be denied because of sex. · 1920
21. 20th New terms begin January 20 for the president and January 3 for Congress, shortening the lame-duck period. · 1933
22. 21st Repeals Prohibition. · 1933
23. 22nd Limits presidents to two elected terms. · 1951
24. 23rd Gives Washington, D.C., electoral votes for president. · 1961
25. 24th Bans poll taxes in federal elections. · 1964
26. 25th Presidential succession and disability: the vice president takes over, and a vice presidential vacancy is filled. · 1967
27. 26th Lowers the voting age to 18. · 1971
28. 27th A pay raise for Congress can't take effect until after the next House election. · 1992

Questions and answers

How many amendments does the Constitution have?

27. The first ten, ratified in 1791, are the Bill of Rights. The latest, the 27th, was ratified in 1992.

How is an amendment passed?

Usually two-thirds of both chambers of Congress propose it and three-quarters of the states (38 of 50) ratify it. A convention called by two-thirds of the states can also propose one, though that has never happened.

Has an amendment ever been repealed?

One: the 18th (Prohibition), repealed by the 21st in 1933.

How a bill becomes law · The Supreme Court

Source: National Archives, "The Constitution: Amendments 11–27" and "The Bill of Rights". Summaries by Polling Desk.

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