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United States Constitution

Amendments to the U.S. Constitution

An amendment refers to the modification to the original content of the Constitution that was approved in 1788. Amendments may improve, correct, or revise the original content. Twenty-seven amendments have been added to the Constitution.

  • Amendments 1-10 are the Bill of Rights, est. by the First Congress of the U.S.
  • Amendments 11-27 are post 1791, the result of lawsuits.

The Constitutional Amendment Process

The authority to amend the Constitution of the United States is derived from Article V of the Constitution. After Congress proposes an amendment, the Archivist of the United States, who heads the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), is charged with responsibility for administering the ratification process under the provisions of 1 U.S.C. 106b. The Archivist ... [Read on]

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