Simplified
- Amendment 11 (1795): Limits lawsuits against states in federal courts.
- Amendment 12 (1804): Revises presidential election procedures (separate Electoral College votes for President and Vice President).
- Amendment 13 (1865): Abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude (except as punishment for crime).
- Amendment 14 (1868): Defines citizenship; guarantees due process and equal protection; applies Bill of Rights protections to the states.
- Amendment 15 (1870): Prohibits denying voting rights based on race, color, or previous enslavement.
- Amendment 16 (1913): Authorizes the federal income tax.
- Amendment 17 (1913): Direct election of U.S. Senators by the people.
- Amendment 18 (1919): Prohibits manufacture and sale of alcohol (Prohibition); later repealed by Amendment 21.
- Amendment 19 (1920): Women’s suffrage.
- Amendment 20 (1933): Changes dates of start of presidential and congressional terms (lame-duck amendment).
- Amendment 21 (1933): Repeals Prohibition (Amendment 18).
- Amendment 22 (1951): Limits the President to two elected terms.
- Amendment 23 (1961): Grants Washington, D.C. Electoral College votes.
- Amendment 24 (1964): Prohibits poll taxes in federal elections.
- Amendment 25 (1967): Presidential succession and disability procedures.
- Amendment 26 (1971): Lowers voting age to 18.
- Amendment 27 (1992): Delays laws affecting congressional salary from taking effect until after the next election.
Original
Amendment XI (1795)
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.
Amendment XII (1804)
The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President… [Full text describing revised Electoral College process.]
Amendment XIII (1865)
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.
Amendment XIV (1868)
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. [Details on representation, dealing with former Confederate officials, etc.]
Section 3. [Restrictions on former Confederates holding office.]
Section 4. [Validity of the public debt, repudiation of Confederate debts.]
Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
Amendment XV (1870)
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.
Amendment XVI (1913)
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.
Amendment XVII (1913)
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… [Etc. on vacancies and direct election process.]
Amendment XVIII (1919)
Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within… the United States… for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.
Section 2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified… [etc.].
Amendment XIX (1920)
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 sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Amendment XX (1933)
Section 1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January… and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3rd day of January… [etc.].
Section 2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year…
Sections 3–6. [Provisions for if the President-elect dies, House choosing the President, etc.]
Amendment XXI (1933)
Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.
Section 2. The transportation or importation into any State… of intoxicating liquors… is prohibited if in violation of the laws thereof.
Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified… [etc.].
Amendment XXII (1951)
Section 1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice… [etc.].
Section 2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified… [etc.].
Amendment XXIII (1961)
Section 1. The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct:
A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State… [etc.].
Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Amendment XXIV (1964)
Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President… shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.
Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Amendment XXV (1967)
Section 1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.
Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.
Section 3 & 4. [Procedures for the President to declare inability and for the Vice President and Cabinet to declare the President unable, with mechanisms for resolving disputes in Congress.]
Amendment XXVI (1971)
Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged… on account of age.
Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Amendment XXVII (1992)
No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.