does anyone have any tips in memorizing the 27 amendments of the united states constitution...?

Question

...or any good sites that summarize and explain the amendments better than the constitution does (the constitution can get confusing!)..?
also do you guys have any tips for what to study for the constitution test?! :/
thank you in advance.

Answer 1

I have one helpful tidbit:

You cannot drink at 18
At 21 you can

(18th and 21st amendments)

Hope that helps. Plus a summary:

1st Freedoms of religion, speech, press, petition, and assembly
2nd Right to bear arms
3rd No Quartering soldiers in private homes (Privacy)
4th Searches and seizures; warrants
5th Due process of law
6th Rights of the accused
7th Right to trial by jury in civil cases
8th Excessive bail & fines; cruel & unusual punishment
9th Unenumerated rights retained by the people
10th Powers reserved to the states or to the people
11th Immunity of states to foreign suits
12th Revision of presidential election procedures
13th Abolition of slavery
14th Citizenship, state due process, state equal protection
15th Racial suffrage
16th Federal income tax
17th Direct election to the United States Senate
18th Prohibition of alcohol (Repealed by 21st amendment)
19th Women's suffrage
20th Term Commencement for congress (January 3) and president (January 20)
21st Repeal of Eighteenth Amendment; state and local prohibition permitted
22nd Presidential term limit
23rd Representation of Washington, DC in Electoral College
24th Suffrage and prohibition of poll taxes
25th Presidential disabilities
26th Age suffrage
27th Variance of congressional compensation

Good luck.

Answer 2

I think the most important amendement we could possibly ever have would be a balanced budget amendment. Politicians can't spend more money than they take in in taxes - PERIOD! That means any new bill has to come with new funding (a tax!) attached to it, just like with City government. If the people don't want to pay the tax, it must not be important enough! The huge budget (over a trillion dollars a year now!) and national debt are the cause of all of our problems. And a broke government can't function or provide services to its people.

Answer 3

First Ten = Bill of Rights. Generally, only the 1st (expression/association), 4th (searching, like the four corners of the room), 5th (due process) and 6th (trial procedures) are tested. Once you understand the purpose of those amendments, you can remember most of the details.

1st Amendment -- expression and association. personal expression (speech), group expression (press, religion, Assembly), and the government cannot endorse religion.

4th -- Searches must be reasonable. Warrants must be detailed.

5th -- Due Process. Things can't happen without you having something to say about it. This includes grand jury indictments, taking of private property, self-incrimination, double jeopardy.

6th -- speedy/public trial, jury of peers, right to counsel, confront witnesses, compel witnesses.

Here's another trick. The 1st, 5th, and 6th all have five clauses.

The other highly tested ones are the 13th, 14th, and 15th. Think of teenage years, when things start equally out. 13th is unlucky for the slave owners (no slavery). 14th is lucky for everyone (equal protection). 15th is voting (if you can remember 13 and 14, that gets you 15).

18 and 21, good advice above. The 11th only matters if you're studying for the Bar Exam.

I can' remember most of the higher numbered ones off the top of my head, and I am studying for the Bar Exam.

Good luck.