What are the 15 Amendments?

Asked by: Georgianna Anderson  |  Last update: April 12, 2026
Score: 4.4/5 (6 votes)

The 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1870, prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude," effectively granting voting rights to African American men after the Civil War, though it didn't prevent other discriminatory practices like literacy tests, and didn't extend suffrage to women.

What are the 15th Amendments?

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. The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

What are the first 10 amendments?

Amendments to the Constitution

  • First Amendment Fundamental Freedoms.
  • Second Amendment Right to Bear Arms.
  • Third Amendment Quartering Soldiers.
  • Fourth Amendment Searches and Seizures.
  • Fifth Amendment Rights of Persons.
  • Sixth Amendment Rights in Criminal Prosecutions.
  • Seventh Amendment Civil Trial Rights.

What are the first 15 amendments called?

The U.S. Bill of Rights

Note: The following text is a transcription of the first ten amendments to the Constitution in their original form. These amendments were ratified December 15, 1791, and form what is known as the "Bill of Rights."

What are the 25 amendments?

In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

Sound Smart: The 15th Amendment | History

20 related questions found

Is there 27 or 33 amendments?

There are 27 ratified amendments to the U.S. Constitution, not 33; however, Congress has proposed 33 amendments, with 27 successfully ratified by the states, including the first ten known as the Bill of Rights. The confusion arises because while only 27 are official, there have been other attempts or proposed changes that didn't pass, leading to lists that might include unratified ones. 

What is the 25th Amendment in English?

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.

How to easily memorize the first 10 amendments?

To remember the first 10 amendments (the Bill of Rights), use memorable phrases, acronyms like R.A.P.P.S. (Religion, Assembly, Petition, Press, Speech for the 1st), and visual cues, such as "Two Bear Arms" (2nd), "Three's a Crowd" (3rd), "Four Walls" (4th), "Plead the Fifth" (5th), "Speedy Six" (6th), sideways handcuffs for the 8th, and the idea that the 9th and 10th reserve rights for people and states. 

Where can I read the bill that just passed?

To read a recently passed bill, use Congress.gov or GovInfo.gov, the official U.S. legislative websites, searching by bill number or keywords; the House and Senate websites also offer access, with recent floor activity and publications available, especially on the House's docs.house.gov for bills passed in the last day. 

Why were the 13-14 and 15 amendments?

Ratified between 1865 and 1870, the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution, known as the “Reconstruction Amendments,” ended slavery in the United States, ensured birthright citizenship, as well as due process and “equal protection of the laws” under the federal and state governments, and expanded voting ...

What do the 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, and 14th amendments do?

The 4th Amendment protects against unreasonable searches; the 5th guarantees due process, no self-incrimination (pleading the fifth), and prevents double jeopardy; the 6th ensures rights in criminal trials like counsel and speedy trial; the 8th forbids excessive bail/fines and cruel/unusual punishment; and the 14th, via the Due Process Clause, applies these federal protections (including 4, 5, 6, 8) to the states, ensuring equal protection and citizenship rights.
 

What is Amendment 10 for kids?

The 10th Amendment says that any power or right not specifically listed in the Constitution as belonging to the federal government belongs to individual states or the American people themselves. The federal government of the United States is made up of people from all over the country.

Did the founding fathers put God in the Constitution?

No, the Founding Fathers did not put God in the U.S. Constitution; the document is notably silent on God and religion, a deliberate choice reflecting a consensus on separating church and state, though the Declaration of Independence did mention a Creator and the Articles of Confederation used "Great Governor of the World," while the Constitution includes a "Year of our Lord" in its date and bars religious tests for office in Article VI and the First Amendment protects religious freedom.
 

What is the 15th Amendment in kid words?

The 15th Amendment, simplified for kids, means that the U.S. government can't stop someone from voting just because of their skin color, race, or if they were a slave before. It gave African American men the right to vote, ensuring that everyone, no matter their race, could have a say in choosing leaders, even though some people tried to make it hard for them. 

What is the 14th Amendment?

Passed by the Senate on June 8, 1866, and ratified two years later, on July 9, 1868, the Fourteenth Amendment granted citizenship to all persons "born or naturalized in the United States," including formerly enslaved people, and provided all citizens with “equal protection under the laws,” extending the provisions of ...

What is the big bill that Trump passed?

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) or the Big Beautiful Bill (P.L. 119-21), is a U.S. federal statute passed by the 119th United States Congress containing tax and spending policies that form the core of President Donald Trump's second-term agenda. The bill was signed into law by Trump on July 4, 2025.

What is a "rider" on a bill?

In legislative procedure, a rider is an additional provision added to a bill or other measure under consideration by a legislature, which may or may not have much, if any, connection with the subject matter of the bill.

How to find all bills?

Web Access

  1. Congress.gov provides the full text of bills from the 103rd Congress (1993) to the present and summaries of bills from the 93rd Congress (1973) to the present. Searches can be conducted by key word and bill number. ...
  2. GPO provides the full text of bills from the 103rd Congress (1993) to the present.

What is the nickname for the first 10 amendments?

The Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights is the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution. It spells out Americans' rights in relation to their government. It guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual—like freedom of speech, press, and religion.

What is the easiest amendment to understand?

The First Amendment provides for the freedoms of expression including religion and speech. The government cannot establish a national religion or prevent individuals from practicing their chosen religion. People, including the press, have the freedom to express their opinions through speech.

Who has the power to override the President?

Congress can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate, making a bill law without the President's signature, while the Vice President and Cabinet (or a majority of Congress) can temporarily remove a President from office if deemed unable to perform duties under the 25th Amendment. Congress also checks presidential power through its power to declare war, control the budget, and provide \"advice and consent\" on appointments and treaties, with the Judiciary reviewing executive actions. 

Can a President remove a vice president?

The Constitution of the United States gives Congress the authority to remove the vice president of the United States from office in two separate proceedings. The first one takes place in the House of Representatives, which impeaches the vice president by approving articles of impeachment through a simple majority vote.

What is the Article 11 of the Constitution?

[ARTICLE 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.