Individual Rights and Civic Responsibilities

Article V of the Constitution states that the Constitution can be changed. The Founders knew that the government would need to adapt and change the Constitution as time went on. A change made to the U.S. Constitution is called an amendment. Each amendment is given a number. There are currently 27 amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

The Constitution outlines an amendment process for ratifying an amendment. Either Congress or a group of state legislatures can propose an amendment if it meets certain requirements (agreement by two-thirds of representatives in both the House and Senate or two-thirds of state legislatures).

Next, the amendment is presented to the states as a joint resolution, an agreement passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The proposal needs to go through each state’s legislature for approval. When three-fourths of state legislatures approve an amendment, it is ratified, or becomes law. To ratify means to officially approve.