The Constitution Has 27 Amendments

How many amendments does the Constitution have? Twenty-seven (27). The Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was ratified in 1788. The first 10 amendments, added in 1791, are called the Bill of Rights. The other 17 amendments were added between 1795 and 1992. Amendments change or add to the Constitution, addressing issues the original document did not cover or correcting problems that emerged over time.

For the citizenship test, you need to know that the Constitution has 27 amendments. Understanding what amendments do and why they exist helps explain how American government has evolved.

The Essential Facts

For the citizenship test, remember: The Constitution has 27 amendments (twenty-seven).

Key facts about amendments:

Total Number: 27 amendments have been ratified
First 10: The Bill of Rights (1791) protecting individual freedoms
Most Recent: Twenty-Seventh Amendment (1992) about congressional pay
Amendment Process: Very difficult—requires supermajorities in Congress and states
Purpose: Amendments change the Constitution to address new issues or fix problems

The number 27 is what you must memorize for the test.

What Constitutional Amendments Do

Amendments serve several purposes:

Protect Rights:
The Bill of Rights (Amendments 1-10) protects individual freedoms:

• Freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, petition (1st)
• Right to bear arms (2nd)
• No quartering soldiers (3rd)
• No unreasonable searches (4th)
• Due process, no self-incrimination (5th)
• Fair trial rights (6th)
• Civil jury trials (7th)
• No cruel punishment (8th)
• Rights retained by people (9th)
• Powers reserved to states (10th)

Expand Democracy:
Several amendments expanded voting rights:

• 15th: Voting rights regardless of race (1870)
• 17th: Direct election of senators (1913)
• 19th: Women’s right to vote (1920)
• 23rd: D.C. residents can vote for president (1961)
• 24th: No poll taxes (1964)
• 26th: Voting age lowered to 18 (1971)

Fix Problems:
Some amendments corrected flaws in the original Constitution:

• 12th: Separate electoral votes for president and vice president (1804)
• 20th: Changed inauguration date (1933)
• 22nd: Limited presidents to two terms (1951)
• 25th: Presidential succession and disability (1967)
• 27th: Congressional pay raises (1992)

End Slavery and Its Effects:
Three amendments addressed slavery:

• 13th: Abolished slavery (1865)
• 14th: Citizenship and equal protection (1868)
• 15th: Voting rights regardless of race (1870)

Change Government Structure:
Some amendments altered how government operates:

• 16th: Federal income tax (1913)
• 17th: Direct election of senators (1913)

Address Specific Issues:
A few amendments dealt with particular problems:

• 18th: Prohibited alcohol (1919)
• 21st: Repealed prohibition (1933)

The Bill of Rights (Amendments 1-10)

The first 10 amendments are special:

When Added:
All 10 were proposed together in 1789 and ratified in 1791—just three years after the Constitution was ratified.

Why Added:
Many states refused to ratify the Constitution without a bill of rights. They feared the federal government would become too powerful and violate individual liberties. The Bill of Rights was the compromise that secured ratification.

What They Do:
The Bill of Rights protects individual freedoms from government violation. These are the fundamental rights Americans value most: speech, religion, fair trials, privacy, and others.

Originally Applied to Federal Government:
Initially, the Bill of Rights only restricted the federal government, not state governments. The Fourteenth Amendment (1868) eventually applied most Bill of Rights protections to states through “incorporation.”

Cultural Importance:
Americans often refer to “Bill of Rights protections” when discussing freedoms. These 10 amendments define fundamental American liberties.

The Reconstruction Amendments (13th, 14th, 15th)

Three amendments followed the Civil War:

Thirteenth Amendment (1865):
Abolished slavery and involuntary servitude (except as punishment for crime). This ended over 240 years of legal slavery in America.

Fourteenth Amendment (1868):

• Granted citizenship to all persons born in the U.S. (including former slaves)
• Required states to provide equal protection under law
• Guaranteed due process
• Applied Bill of Rights to states through incorporation

This is one of the most important amendments, fundamentally changing federalism and individual rights.

Fifteenth Amendment (1870):
Prohibited denying voting rights based on race, color, or previous servitude. While important, it took another century and the Voting Rights Act (1965) to fully enforce this amendment.

These three amendments transformed America from a slave society to one constitutionally committed to equality (though practice lagged far behind principle).

Progressive Era Amendments (16th, 17th, 18th, 19th)

Four amendments came during the Progressive Era (1890s-1920s):

Sixteenth Amendment (1913):
Authorized federal income tax. This overturned a Supreme Court decision and gave the federal government its primary revenue source.

Seventeenth Amendment (1913):
Required direct election of senators by voters. Previously, state legislatures chose senators. This made the Senate more democratic.

Eighteenth Amendment (1919):
Prohibited manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol (Prohibition). This was a social reform attempt that ultimately failed and was repealed.

Nineteenth Amendment (1920):
Granted women the right to vote. After decades of suffragist activism, women finally achieved voting rights nationwide.

These amendments reflected Progressive Era goals: making government more democratic, addressing social problems, and expanding federal power.

Twentieth Century Amendments (20th-27th)

Later amendments addressed various issues:

Twentieth Amendment (1933):
Changed inauguration date from March 4 to January 20. Shortened “lame duck” period between election and inauguration.

Twenty-First Amendment (1933):
Repealed Prohibition (18th Amendment). Only amendment that repealed another amendment.

Twenty-Second Amendment (1951):
Limited presidents to two terms. Responded to Franklin Roosevelt’s four-term presidency.

Twenty-Third Amendment (1961):
Gave Washington, D.C. residents the right to vote for president. D.C. still lacks full congressional representation.

Twenty-Fourth Amendment (1964):
Prohibited poll taxes in federal elections. Removed financial barrier to voting that discriminated against poor people, especially Black Americans.

Twenty-Fifth Amendment (1967):
Established procedures for presidential succession and disability. Clarified what happens if president cannot serve.

Twenty-Sixth Amendment (1971):
Lowered voting age from 21 to 18. Response to Vietnam War—if 18-year-olds could be drafted, they should vote.

Twenty-Seventh Amendment (1992):
Prohibited congressional pay raises from taking effect until after next election. Originally proposed in 1789, it took 203 years to ratify!

How Amendments Are Made

The amendment process is intentionally difficult:

Proposal (Two Ways):

Method 1 (Used for all 27 amendments):
Two-thirds of both houses of Congress (House and Senate) must vote to propose an amendment.

Method 2 (Never used):
Two-thirds of state legislatures can call a constitutional convention to propose amendments.

Ratification (Two Ways):

Method 1 (Used for all amendments except 21st):
Three-fourths of state legislatures (38 of 50 states) must ratify.

Method 2 (Used only for 21st Amendment):
Three-fourths of state ratifying conventions must approve.

Why So Difficult:
The founders wanted the Constitution to be stable. Easy amendment would make government unstable. Requiring supermajorities ensures broad consensus before changes.

Failed Amendments:
Thousands of amendments have been proposed; only 27 ratified. Famous failed proposals include:

• Equal Rights Amendment (women’s equality)
• Balanced budget amendment
• Flag desecration amendment
• D.C. statehood amendment

The difficulty of amending the Constitution means only truly important changes succeed.

Amendments That Failed

Some proposed amendments came close but failed:

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA):
Would have guaranteed equal rights regardless of sex. Passed Congress in 1972 but failed to get 38 state ratifications by deadline. Debate continues about whether it could still be ratified.

D.C. Voting Rights Amendment:
Would have given D.C. full congressional representation. Passed Congress in 1978 but only 16 states ratified (needed 38).

Balanced Budget Amendment:
Would require federal budget to be balanced. Proposed many times, never passed Congress with required two-thirds majority.

Child Labor Amendment:
Would have allowed federal regulation of child labor. Proposed 1924, made unnecessary by later Supreme Court decisions and federal laws.

Titles of Nobility Amendment:
Would have prohibited Americans from accepting foreign titles. Proposed 1810, failed by one state.

These failures show how difficult amending the Constitution is—even popular proposals often fail.

The Amendment Process in Action

Several amendments show how the process works:

Fast Ratification:

• 26th Amendment (voting age 18): Ratified in just 100 days (1971)—fastest ever
• 12th Amendment: Ratified in 6 months (1804)

These amendments addressed urgent problems with broad support.

Slow Ratification:

• 27th Amendment: Took 203 years from proposal (1789) to ratification (1992)—slowest ever
• 22nd Amendment: Took nearly 4 years (1947-1951)

The 27th Amendment shows proposals can sit dormant for decades then suddenly succeed.

Controversial Ratification:

• 14th Amendment: Required Southern states to ratify as condition of readmission to Union after Civil War
• 18th Amendment: Prohibition was controversial; many opposed it

Even after ratification, controversial amendments can face resistance.

Why We Have 27 Amendments

The number 27 reflects American constitutional development:

Bill of Rights (10):
Essential protections demanded at founding.

Reconstruction (3):
Ending slavery and establishing equality after Civil War.

Democratic Expansion (6):
15th, 17th, 19th, 23rd, 24th, 26th expanded voting rights and democracy.

Structural Fixes (4):
12th, 20th, 22nd, 25th corrected government operation problems.

Federal Power (2):
16th (income tax) and 18th (prohibition—later repealed) expanded federal authority.

Reversals (1):
21st repealed 18th, showing amendments can correct previous amendments.

Miscellaneous (1):
27th addresses congressional pay.

These 27 amendments updated the Constitution for changing times while maintaining its basic structure.

Proposed Amendments Today

Current amendment proposals include:

Balanced Budget:
Require federal government to balance its budget. Conservatives support; liberals generally oppose.

Term Limits:
Limit how long members of Congress can serve. Popular with voters; Congress unlikely to propose limits on itself.

Campaign Finance:
Overturn Citizens United decision and allow greater regulation of campaign spending. Supported by campaign finance reformers.

Electoral College:
Abolish or reform the Electoral College. Proposed after several elections where popular vote winner lost Electoral College.

Equal Rights Amendment:
Revive the ERA for women’s equality. Supporters argue enough states ratified; opponents say deadline passed.

D.C. and Puerto Rico Representation:
Give D.C. and/or Puerto Rico full representation. Could be done through statehood rather than amendment.

Most proposals never get the required two-thirds vote in Congress. The amendment process remains very difficult.

Why Amendments Matter

Constitutional amendments matter because:

Updating the Constitution:
Amendments keep the Constitution relevant as society changes. The 1788 Constitution did not address modern issues. Amendments update it.

Protecting Rights:
The Bill of Rights and later amendments protect freedoms Americans value. Without these amendments, rights would be less secure.

Reflecting Values:
Amendments show what Americans value enough to change their fundamental law. Expanding voting rights appears repeatedly, showing democracy’s importance.

Limited Government Evolution:
Only 27 amendments in 230+ years shows restraint. America changed enormously since 1788, yet the Constitution needed relatively few amendments. This shows the original document’s flexibility.

Democratic Process:
The amendment process requires broad consensus (supermajorities in Congress and states). This ensures changes reflect strong public support, not temporary majorities.

Common Misconceptions

Several misconceptions about amendments exist:

Myth: The Constitution is regularly amended.
Reality: Only 27 amendments in 230+ years. Amendments are rare.

Myth: Any proposed amendment can pass.
Reality: Only 27 of thousands of proposals succeeded. The process is extremely difficult.

Myth: Amendments can say anything.
Reality: Amendments must follow constitutional procedures and arguably cannot violate certain fundamental principles.

Myth: The Bill of Rights is the whole Constitution.
Reality: The Bill of Rights is amendments 1-10. The Constitution has seven articles plus 27 amendments.

Myth: All amendments are equally important.
Reality: Some amendments (1st, 14th) are far more significant than others (3rd, 27th).

Connections That Matter

Understanding amendments connects to constitutional interpretation. The amendment process is how Americans formally change constitutional meaning. Courts interpret the Constitution, but only amendments officially change it.

Amendments relate to American political development. Each amendment reflects historical moments when Americans agreed change was necessary: ending slavery, expanding voting rights, fixing government problems.

The amendment process also connects to federalism. Amendments require both national (congressional) and state support, embodying the federal principle that both levels of government must consent to fundamental changes.

For more on specific amendments, see our articles on the Bill of Rights and individual amendments in the uscis-questions category. To understand the Constitution, read about its structure and principles. To learn about constitutional change, explore articles on Supreme Court cases and interpretation.

Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions

How many amendments does the Constitution have?
27 (twenty-seven). This is the answer for the citizenship test. Memorize this number.

What are the most important amendments?
The 1st (freedoms), 14th (equal protection), and 13th (ending slavery) are generally considered most important. But importance is subjective.

Can the Constitution be amended?
Yes, but it’s very difficult. It requires two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of states. Only 27 amendments have succeeded in 230+ years.

What was the last amendment?
The 27th Amendment (1992) about congressional pay. Before that, the 26th Amendment (1971) lowered voting age to 18.

Can amendments be repealed?
Yes. The 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment (Prohibition). This is the only example of one amendment repealing another.

Do amendments expire?
Not automatically. Congress can set ratification deadlines, but amendments without deadlines remain valid proposals indefinitely (like the 27th, ratified after 203 years).

Which amendment is most controversial?
Debatable. The 2nd Amendment (guns) generates enormous controversy today. The 14th Amendment (equal protection) has always been controversial regarding its scope.

How long does ratification take?
It varies. The 26th Amendment took 100 days. The 27th took 203 years. Average is about 2-3 years for successful amendments.

Could the Bill of Rights be repealed?
Theoretically yes, through the amendment process. Practically no—the Bill of Rights is so fundamental that repealing any part would be nearly impossible politically.

What should I memorize for the citizenship test?
The Constitution has 27 amendments (twenty-seven). Know this number. You may also be asked about specific amendments like the 1st (freedoms) or 13th-15th (ending slavery, citizenship, voting rights). Focus on the number 27 first.