Table of Contents
- 1 What may states not be deprived of without their consent?
- 2 What provisions are there for changing the constitution?
- 3 How many states require an amended convention?
- 4 Under what conditions can a state engage in war?
- 5 Is it possible to change the text of the Constitution?
- 6 How is an amendment to the Constitution ratified?
What may states not be deprived of without their consent?
One is that “no State, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.” So every state will have the same number of Senators, no matter how many members of Congress or other states want to change that part of our system (unless a state agrees to accept a smaller number of Senators).
Can constitutional provisions be changed?
The Constitution provides that an amendment may be proposed either by the Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the State legislatures.
What provisions are there for changing the constitution?
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as …
What provision prohibits states from keeping ships of war without the consent of Congress?
Clause 3: the Compact Clause The Compact Clause prevents the states, without the consent of Congress, from maintaining armies or navies during a time of peace.
How many states require an amended convention?
Congress must call a convention for proposing amendments upon application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the states (i.e., 34 of 50 states). Amendments proposed by Congress or convention become valid only when ratified by the legislatures of, or conventions in, three-fourths of the states (i.e., 38 of 50 states).
What other ways can Rights change?
In fact, there are five totally legal “other” ways the Constitution can be changed….
- Legislation enacted by Congress.
- Actions of the President of the United States.
- Decisions of the federal courts.
- Activities of the political parties.
- The application of custom.
Under what conditions can a state engage in war?
No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.
Is there any constitutional provision that can never be amended?
Article V of the U.S. Constitution, which very briefly lays out the (extremely demanding) procedures for amending the Constitution, establishes one constitutional provision that can never be amended.
Is it possible to change the text of the Constitution?
The first is that it’s hard to amend the Constitution. The second is that amendments matter a lot less than most people think. Amendments change the text of the Constitution, but—the key point—very important changes happen even when the text of the Constitution stays the same.
Can a convention propose an amendment to the Constitution?
The convention can propose amendments, whether Congress approves of them or not. Those proposed amendments would then be sent to the states for ratification. As with an amendment proposed by Congress, three-quarters of the states would have to ratify the amendment for it to become part of the Constitution.
How is an amendment to the Constitution ratified?
An amendment can be ratified by the state legislature—the part of the state government that enacts laws for the state. But Congress can provide instead that the states must call conventions for the single purpose of deciding whether to ratify an amendment.