*** Quote ***
The Ten Original Amendments: The Bill of Rights. Passed by Congres September 25, 1789. Ratified December 15, 1791.
There is discussion if there was an earlier 13th amendment, which somehow disappeared from the list of amendments around the end of the civil war. Some Ultra-right wingers claim that this amendment implies that lawyers cannot serve in government. Their views are represented in this article . There is also a good refutation of these arguments .
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 male 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 States 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.
Passed by Congress June 13, 1866. Ratified July 9, 1868
Section 2.
The Congress shall have power to enforce
this article by appropriate legislation--
Passed by Congress February 26, 1869. Ratified February 3, 1870.
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.
Passed by Congress May 13, 1912. Ratified April 8, 1913.
The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have
been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the
legislatures of the several States, as provided in the
Constitution, within seven years from the date of the
submission hereof to the States by Congress.
Passed by Congress December 18, 1917. Ratified January 16,
1919. Altered by Amendment 21
The Congress shall have power by appropriate
legislation to enforce the provisions of this article.
Passed by Congress June 4, 1919. Ratified August 18, 1920.
Section 2.
The Congress shall assemble at least once in
every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the third
day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different
day.
Section 3.
If, at the time fixed for the beginning of
the term of the President, the President-elect shall have
died, the Vice-President-elect shall become President. If a
President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for
the beginning of his term, or if the President-elect shall
have failed to qualify, then the Vice-President-elect shall
act as President until a President shall have qualified; and
the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a
President-elect nor a Vice-President-elect shall have
qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the
manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such
person shall act accordingly until a President or
Vice-President shall have qualified.
Section 4.
The Congress may by law provide for the case
of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of
Representatives may choose a President whenever the right of
choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the
death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a
Vice-President whenever the right of choice shall have
devolved upon them.
Section 5.
Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the
15th day of October following the ratification of this
article.
Section 6.
This article shall be inoperative unless it
shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution
by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States
within seven years from the date of its submission.
Section 2.
The transportation or importation into any
State, Territory, or possession of the United States for
delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation
of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.
Section 3.
The article shall be inoperative unless it
shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution
by conventions in the several States, as provided in the
Constitution, within seven years from the date of the
submission hereof to the States by the Congress.
Passed by Congress February 20, 1933. Ratified December 5, 1933.
Section 2.
This article shall be inoperative unless it
shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution
by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States
within seven years from the date of its submission to the
States by the Congress.
Passed by Congress March 21, 1947. Ratified February 27, 1951.
Section 2.
The Congress shall have power to enforce
this article by appropriate legislation.
Passed by Congress June 16, 1960. Ratified March 29, 1961.
Section 2.
The Congress shall have power to enforce
this article by appropriate legislation.
Passed by Congress August 27, 1962. Ratified January 23, 1964.
Section 2.
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.
Section 3.
Whenever the President transmits to the
President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the
House of Representatives his written declaration that he is
unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and
until he transmits to them a written declaration to the
contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the
Vice President as Acting President.
Section 4.
Whenever the Vice President and a majority
of either the principal officers of the executive departments
or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit
to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of
the House of Representatives their written declaration that
the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of
his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the
powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
Thereafter, when the President transmits to the
President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the
House of Representatives his written declaration that no
inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his
office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the
principal officers of the executive department or of such
other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within
four day to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives their written
declaration that the President is unable to discharge the
powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall
decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that
purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one
days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if
Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after
Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds
vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge
the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall
continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise,
the President shall resume the powers and duties of his
office.
Passed by Congress July 6, 1965. Ratified February 10, 1967.
Section 2.
The Congress shall have power to enforce
this article by appropriate legislation.
Passed by Congress March 23, 1971. Ratified June 30, 1971.