Running head: Bill of Rights and Amendment Paper 1
Bill of Rights and Amendment Paper
May 23, 2012
History 301 United States Constitution
Mr. John Carter
Bill of Rights and Amendments Paper 2
Bill of Rights and Amendments Paper
The United States Constitution is a living document which was designed to be ratified when needed due to a changing society, or unfair legal practices that overstep human and/or civil rights. Article Five of the Constitution made way for amendments such as the Bill of Rights, amendments thirteen through fifteen, among so many others that have made the United States the place it is today. In this paper I will discuss how and why the amendments became a component of the Constitution, what issues with the original Constitution inspired the adoption of the Bill of Rights, and what have been the effects of the Bill of Rights.
An amendment to the Constitution is a change that can be added to the Constitution or a change to an older part. Amendments are necessary due to changing a society and/or some parts of government overstep its boundaries, unless prohibited by the Constitution the overstepping could happen again. There are two ways to amend the Constitution; the first being to get the bill passed by both the house and the senate with two-thirds majority in each. If passed it then has to go to the states. The second way which has never been used is for a constitutional convention to be called by two-thirds of the legislatures of the states, and then the amendment has to be sent to the states with approval from three-fourths of the convention or legislatures. This process was put into the constitution by the framers. “The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for...