AMENDMENT I
Congress
shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom
of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably
to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
AMENDMENT II
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a
free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall
not be infringed.
AMENDMENT
III
No
Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without
the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner
to be prescribed by law.
AMENDMENT
IV
The
right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers,
and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall
not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable
cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing
the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
AMENDMENT V
No
person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous
crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury,
except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the
Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger;
nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice
put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any
criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived
of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor
shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
AMENDMENT
VI
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right
to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State
and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which
district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to
be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted
with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for
obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of
Counsel for his defence.
AMENDMENT VII
In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed
twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved,
and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in
any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of
the common law.
AMENDMENT
VIII
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed,
nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
AMENDMENT IX
The
enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not
be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
AMENDMENT
X
The
powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution,
nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States
respectively, or to the people.
AMENDMENT
XI
The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed
to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted
against one of the United States by Citizens of another State,
or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.
AMENDMENT
XII
The
Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot
for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall
not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall
name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in
distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they
shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President,
and of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the number
of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and
transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States,
directed to the President of the Senate;--The President of the
Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives,
open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted;--the
person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall
be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number
of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then
from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three
on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives
shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing
the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation
from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall
consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states,
and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice.
And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President
whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the
fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall
act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional
disability of the President.--The person having the greatest number
of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such
number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed,
and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers
on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum
for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number
of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary
to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the
office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President
of the United States.
AMENDMENT
XIII
Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as
a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly
convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place
subject to their jurisdiction.
Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by
appropriate legislation.
AMENDMENT XIV
Section
1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject
to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States
and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce
any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens
of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of
life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny
to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of
the laws.
Section
2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States
according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number
of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when
the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for
President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives
in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or
the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the
male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age,
and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except
for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation
therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of
such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens
twenty-one years of age in such State.
Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress,
or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office,
civil or military, under the United States, or under any State,
who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress,
or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State
legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State,
to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged
in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or
comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of
two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States,
authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions
and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion,
shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any
State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid
of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any
claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such
debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.
Section
5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation,
the provisions of this article.
AMENDMENT
XV
Section
1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not
be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on
account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Section
2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate
legislation.
AMENDMENT XVI
The
Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes,
from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the
several States, and without regard to any census of enumeration.
AMENDMENT
XVII
The
Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators
from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years;
and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State
shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most
numerous branch of the State legislatures. When vacancies happen
in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive
authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill
such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may
empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until
the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may
direct. This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect
the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid
as part of the Constitution.
AMENDMENT
XVIII
Section
1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture,
sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation
thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States
and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage
purposes is hereby prohibited.
Section
2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power
to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Section
3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been
ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures
of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within
seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States
by the Congress.
AMENDMENT XIX
The
right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied
or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of
sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate
legislation.
AMENDMENT XX
Section 1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall
end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators
and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years
in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been
ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.
Section
2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and
such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless
they shall by law appoint a different day.
Section
3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the
President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President
elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been
chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or
if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the
Vice President elect shall act as President until a President
shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for
the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President
elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President,
or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and
such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President
shall have qualified.
Section
4. The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of
any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may
choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved
upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons
from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the
right of choice shall have devolved upon them.
Section 5. Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day
of October following the ratification of this article.
Section
6. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been
ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures
of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from
the date of its submission.
AMENDMENT XXI
Section
1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of
the United States is hereby repealed.
Section
2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory,
or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein
of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is
hereby prohibited.
Section
3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been
ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in
the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven
years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by
the Congress.
AMENDMENT XXII
Section 1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President
more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President,
or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which
some other person was elected President shall be elected to the
office of the President more than once. But this Article shall
not apply to any person holding the office of President when this
Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any
person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as
President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative
from holding the office of President or acting as President during
the remainder of such term. Section 2. This article shall be inoperative
unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution
by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within
seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the
Congress.
AMENDMENT
XXIII
Section
1. The District constituting the seat of Government of the United
States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct:
A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to
the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to
which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in
no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in
addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered,
for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President,
to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the
District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article
of amendment.
Section
2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate
legislation.
AMENDMENT XXIV
Section
1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary
or other election for President or Vice President, for electors
for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative
in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States
or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other
tax.
Section
2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate
legislation.
AMENDMENT
XXV
Section
1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his
death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.
Section
2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President,
the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office
upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.
Section 3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro
tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives
his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers
and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written
declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged
by the Vice President as Acting President.
Section
4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal
officers of the executive departments or of such other body as
Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore
of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives
their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge
the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall
immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting
President. Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President
pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives
his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume
the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President
and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive
department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide,
transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the
Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written
declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers
and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the
issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if
not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after
receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is
not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required
to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that
the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of
his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the
same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume
the powers and duties of his office.
AMENDMENT
XXVI
Section
1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are 18 years
of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the
United States or any State on account of age.
Section
2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by
appropriate legislation.
AMENDMENT
XXVII
No
law, varying the compensation for the service of the senators
and representatives shall take effect, until an election of representatives
shall have intervened.
