What are the law amendments?
Asked by: Constantin Breitenberg | Last update: January 28, 2026Score: 4.8/5 (74 votes)
Law amendments are formal changes or additions to a country's constitution or laws, like the 27 Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which include the Bill of Rights (Amendments 1-10, guaranteeing freedoms like speech, religion, and due process) and later changes such as abolishing slavery (13th), granting women's suffrage (19th), and establishing voting rights for Black Americans (15th). These amendments clarify, expand, or alter existing rights and governmental processes, ensuring the legal framework adapts to societal needs.
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 27 Amendment Rights?
The 27th Amendment guarantees that any change to the salaries of members of Congress cannot take effect until after the next election for Representatives, preventing them from giving themselves immediate pay raises. This protects against corruption by ensuring voters have a chance to approve or disapprove of salary increases in the subsequent election. Proposed in 1789, it was famously ratified in 1992 after an undergraduate student, Gregory Watson, argued it was still valid.
How many law amendments are there?
Over the years, more amendments were added. Now, the Constitution has 27 amendments. The First Amendment is in the Bill of Rights. Americans often talk about the First Amendment.
What are the 13 Amendment Rights?
The 13th Amendment's primary right is the abolition of slavery and involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for a crime, granting freedom to millions and empowering Congress to enforce this ban through legislation, which led to broader civil rights protections against discrimination in areas like employment and housing. It fundamentally ended chattel slavery in the U.S. and established a foundation for equality by giving Congress the power to pass laws ensuring fair treatment for all citizens.
Every US Amendment Explained in 8 Minutes
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 article 13 of Fundamental Rights?
Art. 13. Laws inconsistent with or in derogation of the. fundamental rights. (1) All laws in force in the territory of India immediately before the commencement of this Constitution, in so far as they are inconsistent with the provisions of this Part, shall, to the extent of such inconsistency, be void.
What is a 28th Amendment?
The 28th Amendment refers to the proposed Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), designed to guarantee legal equality for all American citizens regardless of sex, stating that "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex". While Congress passed it in 1972 and it met ratification requirements with Virginia's ratification in 2020, its official publication and full legal recognition remain contested due to expired deadlines and legal challenges, though many proponents argue it is validly the 28th Amendment.
What is the 97th Amendment all about?
The 97th Amendment Act of 2011 granted cooperative societies constitutional recognition and protection. In this context, it amended the Constitution in three ways: It established the right to organise cooperative organisations as a basic right (Article 19)
What is the full 6th Amendment?
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 ...
What are the two rejected amendments?
The two rejected amendments from the original 1789 proposal, which became the Bill of Rights, were the Congressional Apportionment Amendment (setting a formula for House size) and the Congressional Pay Amendment (requiring intervening elections for pay raises). While the first remains unratified, the second eventually passed in 1992 as the 27th Amendment.
What is the 25th Amendment in simple terms?
The 25th Amendment simplifies presidential succession and disability by clarifying that the Vice President becomes President if the President dies, resigns, or is removed, and provides a process for temporarily transferring power if the President becomes unable to perform their duties, either voluntarily (President declares) or involuntarily (VP & Cabinet/Congress declare). It also outlines how to fill a vacant Vice Presidency, requiring a presidential nomination confirmed by Congress.
What is the full 5th Amendment?
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 ...
What are the 10 civil rights?
Civil rights generally include ensuring peoples' physical and mental integrity, life, and safety, protection from discrimination, the right to privacy, the freedom of thought, speech, religion, press, assembly, and movement.
What are my rights as a citizen?
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.
What is the Bill of Rights 3?
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.
What is the 34th Amendment?
The Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015 proposes to insert the following section after section 3 of Article 41 of the Constitution: “4. Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex.”
What is the 77th constitutional amendment Act?
The 77th Constitution amendment was made to protect reservation to SC/ST Employees in promotions by inserting a new clause (4A) in Article 16. The 81st Constitution amendment was made by inserting Article 16 (4B) to treat backlog vacancies as a separate class.
Why is part 7 removed?
Ans. Part 7 dealt with Part-B states. After the 7th Constitutional Amendment, 1956, Part-B states were merged with others, making this part redundant, so it was repealed.
Is there a 27th amendment?
Amendment Twenty-seven to the Constitution was ratified on May 7, 1992. It forbids any changes to the salary of Congress members from taking effect until the next election concludes.
What amendment was passed in 1972?
In 1972, the Equal Rights Amendment, designed to guarantee protection against sexual discrimination for women under the law, passed both houses of Congress and was sent to the individual states for ratification. Groups on both sides of the issue mobilized to lobby the states for and against passage.
Did the founding fathers put God in the Constitution?
No, the U.S. Constitution does not explicitly mention God or a supreme being in its main text, a deliberate choice by the Founding Fathers to establish a secular government and protect religious freedom, though it does contain a date reference ("Year of our Lord") and the First Amendment prevents religious tests for office, reflecting a consensus on separation of church and state despite their personal faith.
What is the Article 5 of the Constitution?
art. V (stating that amendments to the Constitution may be ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress ). Jump to essay-11United States v.
What is the Constitution Act 1982?
The Constitution Act, 1982 contains the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and other provisions, including the rights of Indigenous peoples and the procedures for amending the Constitution of Canada.
What is the Article 19 of the Constitution?
Freedom to Practice Profession, Occupation, Trade, or Business - Article 19(1)(g) provides the right to practice any profession, occupation, trade, or business. Citizens have the freedom to choose and engage in their preferred livelihoods.