Will you help me with my american government homework? Here is the question...?

Question

Explain the process of amending the Constitution of the United States.

Anybody? Anybody?

Answer 1

How is the Constitution amended?
Article V of the Constitution prescribes how an amendment can become a part of the Constitution. While there are two ways, only one has ever been used. All 27 Amendments have been ratified after two-thirds of the House and Senate approve of the proposal and send it to the states for a vote. Then, three-fourths of the states must affirm the proposed Amendment.

The other method of passing an amendment requires a Constitutional Convention to be called by two-thirds of the legislatures of the States. That Convention can propose as many amendments as it deems necessary. Those amendments must be approved by three-fourths of the states.

The actual wording of Article V is: “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 part of this Constitution, when 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; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.”

Answer 2

The Constitution can be amended through initiative by the people wherein a required number of signatures from voters must be taken. It can also be amended through a constitutional assembly and this proceeding is undertaken by the Congress where amendments are proposed. All of the above proposals must be subject to vote by the people who will determine if the amendments are valid.

Answer 3

I simply CANNOT believe the crap disinformation you're getting. Whatever you do, PLEASE IGNORE what Fraginal and Austingirl have said; they are both WRONG. Popular initiatives play no role in amending the US Constitution, and the Supreme Court cannot remove any amendment from the Constitution...

There are two ways of proposing an amendment, and two ways of ratifying it.

Proposal.

Two-Thirds of both houses of Congress. or;
On application of two-thirds of state legislatures calling for Constitutional Convention.

Ratification.
Three-Fourths of state legislatures.Or;
Three-Fourths of specially convened state conventions. (Congress gets to choose which ratification method is used.

Answer 4

Fraginal is right, I will add however, that in the spirit of checks and balances, the only way an ammendment can be taken off the books is if the Supreme Court decides to via a court case.

Answer 5

I always hated it when I lost my textbooks. Good luck!

Answer 6

http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/blconstamend.htm