This article is part of the series:
United States Constitution

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Original text of the Constitution
Preamble

Articles of the Constitution
I · II · III · IV · V · VI · VII

Amendments to the Constitution
Bill of Rights
I · II · III · IV · V · VI · VII · VIII · IX · X

Subsequent Amendments
XI · XII · XIII · XIV · XV
XVI · XVII · XVIII · XIX · XX
XXI · XXII · XXIII · XXIV · XXV
XXVI · XXVII

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This is a complete full list of all the ratified and unratified amendments to the United States Constitution which have received the approval of the Congress. The procedure for amending the Constitution is governed by Article V of the original text. There have been many other proposals for amendments to the United States Constitution introduced in Congress, but not submitted to the states.

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# Amendments Proposal date Enactment date Full text
1st Freedom of religion, of speech, of the press, to assemble, and to petition September 25, 1789 December 15, 1791 Full text
2nd Enumerates the right to keep and bear arms September 25, 1789 December 15, 1791 Full text
3rd No quartering of soldiers in private houses during peacetime.

In a time of war, Congress can pass a law stating that soldiers should be quartered.

September 25, 1789 December 15, 1791 Full text
4th Interdiction of unreasonable searches and seizures; search warrant is required to search persons or property. September 25, 1789 December 15, 1791 Full text
5th Indictments; due process; self-incrimination; double jeopardy, and rules for eminent domain. September 25, 1789 December 15, 1791 Full text
6th Rights to a fair and speedy public trial, to notice of accusations, to confront the accuser, to subpoenas, to counsel September 25, 1789 December 15, 1791 Full text
7th Right to trial by jury in civil cases September 25, 1789 December 15, 1791 Full text
8th No excessive bail or fines, or cruel and unusual punishment September 25, 1789 December 15, 1791 Full text
9th Unenumerated rights September 25, 1789 December 15, 1791 Full text
10th Limits the powers of the federal government to only those specifically granted to it by the constitution. September 25, 1789 December 15, 1791 Full text
11th Immunity of states from suits from out-of-state citizens and foreigners not living within the state borders. Lays the foundation for sovereign immunity. March 4, 1794 February 7, 1795 Full text
12th Revises presidential election procedures December 9, 1803 June 15, 1804 Full text
13th Abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. January 31, 1865 December 6, 1865 Full text
14th Defines citizenship and deals with post-Civil-War issues. June 13, 1866 July 9, 1868 Full text
15th Prohibits the denial of suffrage based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude February 26, 1869 February 3, 1870 Full text
16th Allows federal income tax July 12, 1909 February 3, 1913 Full text
17th Direct election of senators May 13, 1912 April 8, 1913 Full text
18th Prohibition of alcohol (Repealed by Twenty-first Amendment) December 18, 1917 January 16, 1919 Full text
19th Federal recognition of women's suffrage June 4, 1919 August 18, 1920 Full text
20th Term commencements for Congress (January 3) and the President (January 20).

This amendment is also known as the "lame duck amendment".

March 2, 1932 January 23, 1933 Full text
21st Repeals the Eighteenth Amendment February 20, 1933 December 5, 1933 Full text
22nd Limits the president to two terms. March 24, 1947 February 27, 1951 Full text
23rd Representation of Washington, D.C. in the Electoral College June 16, 1960 March 29, 1961 Full text
24th Prohibition of the restriction of voting rights due to the non-payment of poll taxes September 14, 1962 January 23, 1964 Full text
25th Presidential succession July 6, 1965 February 10, 1967 Full text
26th Voting age nationally established at 18 (see suffrage) March 23, 1971 July 1, 1971 Full text
27th Variance of congressional compensation September 25, 1789 May 7, 1992 Full text

Before an amendment can take effect, it must be proposed to the states by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress or by a convention called by two-thirds of the states, and ratified by three-fourths of the states or by three-fourths of conventions thereof, the method of ratification being determined by Congress at the time of proposal. To date, no convention for proposing amendments has been called by the states, and only once has the convention method of ratification been employed.

Six amendments proposed by Congress have failed to be ratified by the appropriate number of states' legislatures. Four of these amendments are still technically pending before state lawmakers—the other two have expired by their own terms.

Amendment Date Proposed Status Subject
Congressional Apportionment Amendment September 25, 1789 Still pending before state lawmakers Apportionment of U.S. Representatives
Titles of Nobility Amendment May 1, 1810 Still pending before state lawmakers Prohibition of titles of nobility
Corwin Amendment March 2, 1861 Still pending before state lawmakers, but rendered moot by the 13th Amendment Preservation of slavery
Child Labor Amendment June 2, 1924 Still pending before state lawmakers Congressional power to regulate child labor
Equal Rights Amendment March 22, 1972 Expired 1979 or 1982 (some scholars disagree -- see main article), though possibly still able to be ratified as deadline has previously been extended and deadline was not placed in the Amendment's text. Prohibition of inequality of men and women
District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment August 22, 1978 Expired 1987 D.C. voting rights

See also

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

• List of unsuccessful attempts to amend the U.S. Constitution
• Conventions within the states to ratify an amendment to U.S. Constitution
• Convention to propose amendment to U.S. Constitution

References

• Congressional Research Service. (1992). The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation. (Senate Document No. 103–6). (Johnny H. Killian and George A. Costello, Eds.). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

External links

• The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation is available at:
  • GPO Access - Official version of the document at the U.S. Government Printing Office.
  • FindLaw – FindLaw's version of the official document; incorporates 1996 and 1998 supplements into text, but does not include prefatory material included in official version.
  • [1] - Other source for the u.s constitution with all the parts.