Constitutions and Law

Changes or additions to the US Constitution are formally known as amendments. This process is outlined in Article V of the Constitution.

The US Constitution is the supreme law of the land, as established by the Supremacy Clause in Article VI. It serves as the foundation for the federal government.

The 21st Amendment, ratified in 1933, repealed the 18th Amendment, which had established the prohibition of alcohol.

The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, granted women the right to vote. This movement is historically referred to as women's suffrage.

The 18th Amendment, ratified in 1919, prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors, effectively starting the Prohibition era.

The 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, prohibited the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

The 13th Amendment, ratified in 1865, officially abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States.

The Seventh Amendment preserves the right to a jury trial in civil cases where the value in controversy exceeds twenty dollars. This amount has not been updated by constitutional amendment since 1791.

The Fourth Amendment protects the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures.

The Third Amendment prohibits the government from forcing citizens to house, or quarter, soldiers in their homes during times of peace without the owner's consent.

The Second Amendment protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms. The other options are either incorrect or refer to different amendments.

The First Amendment protects several fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and the right to assemble peaceably.

James Madison is widely considered the Father of the Constitution and was the primary author of the Bill of Rights, which he introduced to Congress in 1789.

The Jones Act of 1917 (Jones-Shafroth Act) expanded the rights granted by the Foraker Act to Puerto Ricans. Most importantly, it granted U.S. citizenship to all Puerto Ricans. It also created a more democratic legislative system with an elected senate. The Teller Amendment concerned Cuba, Seward's Folly was Alaska, and Open Door Policy was about China.

Under Chief Justice John Marshall, the Supreme Court issued landmark rulings like Marbury v. Madison and McCulloch v. Maryland that established judicial review and affirmed the supremacy of federal power over state power.