Constitution Outline

I.               Bill of Rights

a.     First Amendment- freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, separation of church and state, and of the right to petition the government

b.     Second Amendment- Right to bear arms and the government cannot take them away

c.      Third Amendment- Prohibits the government from forcing people to quarter troops

d.     Fourth Amendment- Prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures

e.     Fifth Amendment- Requires grand jury for serious crimes, bans double jeopardy, prohibits having to testify against yourself, guarantees no loss of life, liberty, or property without due process of law

f.      Sixth Amendment- Guarantees right to speedy, public, impartial trial

g.     Seventh Amendment- Guarantees right to jury trial in civil suits

h.     Eighth Amendment- Prohibits excessive bail or fines and cruel or unusual punishment

i.       Ninth Amendment- Rights not listed are not denied

j.       Tenth Amendment- Powers not delegated to the national or denied to the states belong to the states

II.             Civil War Amendments

a.     Eleventh Amendment- States cannot be sued in federal court by citizens or other nations

b.     Twelfth Amendment- Outlined how the Vice President and the President were to be voted in, established electoral college

c.      Thirteenth Amendment- Outlawed slavery

d.     Fourteenth Amendment- Protected legal rights of slaves

e.     Fifteenth Amendment- Prohibits the government from denying people the right to vote based on their race

III.           Later Amendments

a.     Sixteenth Amendment- Congress can levy individual income taxes

b.     Seventeenth Amendment- States that people, not state legislators, elect senators

c.      Eighteenth Amendment- Prohibited the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol

d.     Nineteenth Amendment- Guaranteed women the right to vote

e.     Twentieth Amendment- Set new dates for officials to begin their terms

f.      Twenty-First Amendment- Repealed the prohibition amendment

g.     Twenty-Second Amendment- Limits Presidents to two terms

h.     Twenty-Third Amendment- Allowed citizens of D.C. to vote

i.       Twenty-Fourth Amendment- Prohibits poll taxes

j.       Twenty-Fifth Amendment- Established a process for the Vice President to take over leadership of the nation for the President

k.     Twenty-Sixth Amendment- Lowered voting age to 18

l.       Twenty-Seventh Amendment- Altered Congressional pay