American Government / Unit 1 Gov 039 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Proposing an Amendment
Captions available
The idea
An amendment to the Constitution is proposed by a two-thirds vote of both chambers of Congress or by a convention called by two-thirds of the state legislatures.
In practice
All twenty-seven existing amendments were proposed by Congress; the convention route stands unused.
Where people slip
Proposal is step one — nothing is law until ratification.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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