The Seventeenth Amendment

"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 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."

This amendment repealed Article 1, Section 3 of the Constitution.  This was changed because the representatives were only being chosen from a specific group of people who had the same ideals as the framers.  This had to change because of controversial scandals like “buying your seat”, which didn't allow the people to control their government.  Because of this now the people elect our senators and representatives.  

This image shows why the seventeenth amendment was put into place.  The people who are becoming representatives of this country need to be elected and shouldn't be able to buy their places there. 

This image shows the controversial feelings about being able to vote for your representatives.  To this day some people feel that their votes in the government don't really count or matter.  

The Sixteenth Amendment

"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 or enumeration."

This amendment is all about having to pay taxes.  It gave power to Congress to tax the income of individuals and corporations without having to pay attention to the state’s population.  

This image shows how a lot of people feel about being taxes; how they have no power against it and almost feel as though they are getting robbed of their earned money without their consent.  

I think this image just shows how overwhelming the taxes on people are getting.  I also feel like it shows that there is no way to get away from them.  

The Fifteenth Amendment

"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."

This amendment gave the ex slaves the right to vote in 1870 when it was ratified, but many were still denied voting rights through 1964-1965.  

This video is showing the connection between the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments in the Constitution.  

This image shows how different Congress men tried to use the fifteenth amendment to gain votes for an election. 

The Fourteenth Amendment

"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 States 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 mal 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 State 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."

This amendment made the ex-slaves citizens.  It goes hand in hand with the thirteenth and the fifteenth amendment in trying to give rights to the former slaves.  In Section 2 of this amendment the voting rights are denied to convicted felons, even after they served their sentences.  Although you could request from the governor to give the right back but it cost a lot of money.  This amendment also made it so that anyone born in the United States automatically becomes a citizen and allows them all the rights that come with becoming a citizen.  

This image just shows how the fourteenth amendment became a step further in progressing the country further and working on the path to treat all people equally. 

This is a video about the discussion that is ongoing with the fourteenth amendment and immigration laws.  This Senator argues that "anchor babies" should not be allowed the same rights as other citizens because their parents were not citizens.  This seems really odd to me because the fourteenth amendment has been guaranteeing citizenship for all people born in the United States since it was ratified.  

The Thirteenth Amendment

"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."

This amendment is pretty straight forward; it freed the slaves and eliminated forced or involuntary labor forever except in the cases of labor of convicted criminals, in military services for those drafted, and for jury duty.  Although the slaves were freed, it didn't solve a lot of the problems it had caused.  

This image shows how important Abraham Lincoln was to the thirteenth amendment and the abolition of slavery.  His "New Birth of a Freedom" in the Gettysburg Address was what got the ball rolling on the thought of freedom for everyone.  

This image is significant because it shows the importance of treating everyone equal and that not one person is better than another.  

The Twelfth Amendment

"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 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."

This amendment describes the election process.  It also stated that the President and Vice President would be voted on separately and that Congress would pick from the top three candidates. It as well states that the Vice President must have the same qualifications as the President in case he must take his place.  Although it is not a specified rule it is implied and strongly recommended that the Vice President and President are from different states. 

 

This video shows the process of the electoral college and the election process. It is a fun way to look and learn about the processes.  

This is a map of the election in 2012.  It shows the number of electoral votes each state has and which states were won by each candidate.  

The Eleventh Amendment

"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."

This amendment was the right that someone from a different state or country could not sue a state through Federal Government.  This is also connected to Article 3 which has to do with the Court system and the judicial powers of the government.  This amendment is important because it doesn't allow the Supreme Court system to overpower the court of the State.  

This video shows a controversy over Arizona's immigration policies.  It talks about how the federal government of the United States is allowing a lot of Latin American countries to try and sue Arizona through the Federal Court because they say it is going against foreign policy.  

  

This is a picture of the article that shows the case Chisholm v. Georgia 1793 which affirmed that citizens could sue states in Federal Court and that their rights cannot be completely ruled out by the government.  The ruling in this case gave states immunity from this.  But is also made it where someone could sue states through state governments.