Amendment 17

Amendment XVII

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each state, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislatures.
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.

The three main points for  this Amendment
1. senators elected by state's people
2. vacancies in Senate: executive may make appointments
3. this amendment cannot alter term of any senator chosen before valid as constitution

Media 1:


This picture is demonstrating how this want to repeal the 17th amendment to make the political atmosphere conducive and strengthen the democracy

Media 2


This picture portrays how they needed the 17th amendment to be passed to allow the direct election of the senator election.

Amendment 16

Amendment XVI

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several states, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

This Amendment means that Congress has power to collect income tax without regard to state population

Media 1:


This picture is a good illustration on how the 16th Amendment allows the Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states or basing it on Census results.


Media 2:

This video is entertaining to watch on how the income tax is important.

Amendment 15

Amendment XV

Section 1.

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.

Section 2.

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

The sections in this amendment means 1. all citizens of US can vote, not denied by race or color
2. congress has power to enforce by appropriate legislation


Media 1:

This is a great picture of how states couldn't bug people of color to vote because this amendment allowed that people of color to be able to vote.

Media 2:

This picture illustrates the 15th amendment and how the African Americans are at the ballot about to vote around white people who don't like that they get to vote.

Amendment 14

Amendment XIV

Section 1.

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. 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.

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.

This Amendment and each section means
1. born in US=citizen of US, state lived in; equal protection under law
2. representatives appointed by state population
3. no person can work in government if they have enggaged in rebellion against US or helped enemies. Congress can remove this law
4. no debts questioned, US does not pay citizen debts
5. congress has power to enfore by appropriate legislation this amendment

Media 1:

This picture shows a slave in chain but with this amendment it made slaves citizens.

Media 2:

This picture illustrates how republicans are not in agreement with the 14th amendment allowing babies of immigrant family to obtain citizenship.

Amendment 13

Amendment XIII

Section 1.

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2.

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

This Amendment means 1. slavery is not allowed; no labor against one's will; does not prevent prison wardens
2. congress has power to enforce #1 by appropriate legislation

Media 1

 

This picture is a great illustration of how Abraham Lincoln brought peace but some people didn't feel it. 

 

Media 2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pecGXwQI3m8

 

In this video students describes how this amendment banned slavery. 

 

Amendment 12

Amendment XII

The electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate;--The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted;--the person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President. The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.

This amendment mean that each elector chooses one candidate for president & VP; if no majority, H.O.R. chooses president, Senate chooses VP; VP must be eligable as president

Media 1

This video explains how to fix the problems in the electoral college and what it did to fix the  problem.

Media 2:

 

 

This cartoon makes fun of the 12th amendment's section regarding the electoral process.

Amendment 11

Amendment 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.

A citizen in one state cannot sue another state government in federal court; can sue state government in state court

Media 1

In this video a teacher explains that the you can not sue your state unless a state official does something unconstitutional but not for money like in the year 1908 with the railroads.

Media 2
This picture shows how you cant sue another state in federal court for not liking cats.