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process to transform the Constitution by adding a Bill of Rights, abolishing slavery, promising freedom and equality, and extending the right to vote to women and African Americans. All told, we have ratified 27 constitutional amendments across American history. We can divide these amendments into four different periods of constitutional reform:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America
The several state legislatures ratified the first ten amendments to the Constitution on the following dates: New Jersey, November 20, 1789; Maryland, December 19, 1789; North Caro- lina, December 22, 1789; South Carolina, January 19, 1790; New Hampshire, January 25, 1790; Delaware, January 28, 1790; New York, February 27, 1790; Pennsylvania, March...
SECTION 1. All legislative Powers herein grant-ed shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives. 1This text of the Constitution follows the engrossed copy signed by Gen. Washington and the deputies from 12 States.
Twenty-five of these constitutional amendments are currently active. The two amendments of the constitution that are inactive are the 18th Amendment (Prohibition) and the 21st Amendment (Repeal of Prohibition). You can also download a PDF of the 27 Amendments if you wish to.
WE, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquillity, provide the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our postefity, do ordain and esta- blish this constitution for the United States of America. ARTICLE I—SECTION 1.
ARTICLES in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress, and ratified by the Legislatures of the several States, pursuant to the fifth Article of the original Constitution.
