Amendment Nineteen and It's Meaning

Amendment Nineteen

"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 nineteen, AKA the BEST amendment ever (in my opinion). It is the amendment that gave women the right to vote in 1920! Even though amendment 15 stated that no one shall be denied the right to vote, I guess women weren't considered citizens at the time (silly people). I am greatly thankful for this amendment as I am a woman.

I retrieved this picture from: http://pssigmyblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/19th-amendment.html

This picture makes me ashamed of our past as America that women had to be excluded from such an important thing. I could never imagine going through a time where I was technically not considered an important citizen enough to be able to vote, what a shame.. This woman is standing up for her rights as a citizen, after all that Mr.President wouldn't even be on the Earth without us women!

This video sheds light onto the two women who started the suffrage movement (they didn't live to see the amendment passed). I truly respect those women and because of them we have women involved in the political system now, and even a woman who made it to the general elections (and sadly did not win over her opposition).

Amendment Eighteen and It's Meaning

Amendment Eighteen:

"Section 1

After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof 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 as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress."


Amendment 18 is all about the use of alcohol being banned and deemed illegal; whether that be selling, buying, drinking, or whatever else one may do with it. This amendment is the only amendment that has been repealed (thankfully). Obviously this amendment was a failure because a lot of Americans still sold and drank alcohol.
Section 1 of this amendment states that each state has a year to okay the amendment and after that year, the selling and drinking if liquor is prohibited and illegal.
Section 2 of this amendment states that Congress can do whatever needs to be done to enforce it, such as making laws regarding it.
Section 3 states that it has to be ratifies by the states in seven years for it to be invalid.

I DO NOT like this amendment; although I do agree alcohol can lead to many poor and unwanted behaviors that can lead to negative outcomes.

This video goes into the details of the problems of the prohibition amendment. It shows that the American people really did not care, and continued to indulge in the fun activities associated with liquor, along with the illegal selling. It is a pretty funny video I would say, and I enjoyed it for sure. It even goes to claim that the use of alcohol was more prominent in this era than before it was prohibited.

I retrieved this picture from: https://www.haikudeck.com/amendment-18-project--education-presentation-cMRQDBhsX3
Okay, now this is just funny. I totally agree with these ladies (maybe some men). I am also a little confused where the men are because it was prominently women who wanted alcohol use to be illegal. This picture just demonstrates how the 18th amendment was not liked AT ALL.

Amendment Seventeen and It's Meaning

Amendment Seventeen

"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. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.
This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution."

The 17th amendment first lays down the number of senators in the Senate (2 for each state regardless of population, 100 total) and how long there term is (6 years). This amendment allows for us American citizens to directly vote for the senators of our state (this is important), and if any senator is to leave office then the governor is allowed to appoint somebody new. There is a lot of talk about how the 17th amendment should be removed, but I think this is a horrible idea. Being able to directly vote for someone to make decisions in Congress is important and without that, there would be corruption and unfairness. Removing this amendment would anger me and many other Americans who want their voices to be heard.

This video gives further insight onto what the 17th amendment is and does, the guy who made the video states that he does not want the 17th amendment to be taken away and I feel the same way as him which is why I chose this video. The first clip of the man explaining the amendment does a well job and explains how if it was to be taken away the government would have total control and the states and people who have no say (further why I think it would be horrible to take away this amendment). Also, ignore the last few minutes of it as they are irrelevant.

This is a rap about the 17th amendment and I chose it because it sides with my view that the 17th amendment should not be appealed. It is important and prevents the system from being corrupt and unfair. It keeps democracy alive.

Amendment Sixteen and It's Meaning

Amendment Sixteen

"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."


The 16th amendment is all about the government taking the working Americans money, sort of. It basically gives the government the right to collect taxes from us that goes to building roads, maintaining an army, and etc. They are aloud to take money from working Americans no matter where it comes from as long as it is considered to be income no matter what the census (number of people living in America) is. I personally feel two opposite ways towards this; one way being I hate seeing money I earned leave my check and I sometimes I think it is unfair that the money I am working hard for is being taken away from me, and the other way being that I think the money (for the most part) goes to a good deed.

This video gives a different light on the 16th amendment. Ron Paul claims that the 16th amendment is unconstitutional as it takes away money from working Americans and gives it to welfare and less progressive things, he also goes into detail about inflation which could become a big problem. I wouldn't say I totally agree with Ron Paul as I believe that some income taxes go to good types of welfare (Medicaid/Medicare and people who have no way of working), but also he does have a good point that us working people should be able to keep our money as paying income taxes creates a worse scenario when it comes to inflation. I am no expert on all of this so my view point for the 16th amendment lies in the middle as I don't know enough information about how income taxes truly work.

I retrieved this picture from: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjb7PS6y4vQAhXK6yYKHUIdCxIQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgabbypenaflor2014.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F05%2Famendment-16.html&psig=AFQjCNGjxGC51kGe50HhDnMoCV6ourcAQw&ust=1478228213844198

I chose this picture because it made me giggle; pretty much this is how I feel every time I see my $0.00 check being a waitress. I earn money in tips, and get paid very low in hourly wages, which sometimes I do need because not everyone tips.. but once I get a zero dollar check, I want to cry..

Amendment Fifteen and It's Meaning

Amendment Fifteen

"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 the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

Amendment 15: the voting amendment. Anyone over the age of 18 of any gender or race, as long as they are a U.S. citizen, has the right to vote. It protects our right to vote during elections and what not and cannot be taken away. The 15th amendment was important to African Americans as it finally gave them the right to vote and be elected as public officials.

This video further explains my definition and explanation of the 15th. It puts emphasis on how African Americans could finally vote and how it affected them in a positive way as they were given the right to become public officials.

This video gives the background on the 15th amendment and also shows that women did not approve this amendment because it only granted the right to vote for males. (I never knew this so I chose this video since it taught me something new).

Amendment Fourteen and It's Meaning

Amendment Fourteen

"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

Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

Section 3

No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

Section 4

The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

Section 5

The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article."


Amendment 14 in a summed up version pretty much defines what it means to be a U.S. citizen. It protects our rights and civil liberties and defines that if you are born on U.S. soil you are a U.S. citizen (citizenship clause) and that no one can take that citizenship away from you. The 14th also reinforces the Bill of Rights and protects the 1st amendment rights that cannot be taken away without due clause (due process clause). The 14th amendment also states that there can be NO discrimination from the law on any person (equal protection clause); this one is a little iffy to me considering there is still a wide range of racial discrimination on people of color by the law enforcement.

I chose this picture from http://learni.st/learnings/356487-14th-amendment-political-cartoon; It is showing a man from the tea party (bad guy) who wants to repeal the 14th amendment. The baby says someone needs a diaper change which I thoroughly enjoyed! Anyone born on this soil is a citizen and the right should never be taken away!


I got this picture from http://associationavh.com/fr/14th-amendment-cartoon and I chose it because it made me laugh as well. Only because us American did invade the Indians land which is messed up in a sense. I don't know if I have the whole concept of this picture or not, I just thought it was funny because the roles are reversed.

Amendment Thirteen and It's Meaning

Amendment Thirteen

"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 13 (the best amendment ever) officially abolished slavery in the United States. Section 1 states that slavery and involuntary serving can NOT exist in the U.S. unless the involuntary servitude is punishment due to a crime being committed (like community service).
Section 2 of amendment 13 means that Congress must carry out this amendment no matter what.

This video further explains (in a monotone voice) the impact of the 13th amendment on the lives of slaves and what their lives were like after slavery was abolished (getting married, finding families, finding new professions). I like this video because it puts into perspective the things we may take for granted today that some people did not get to experience just based on the color of their skin.

Wow- I really do like this video and it opened up my eyes to something I have never thought about. This video is an interview with two of the people who assisted in making the documentary "13th" about the 13th amendment and how although slavery was abolished, it is still present in the form of prison labor by use of the (criminal punishment lever in the amendment). They talk how the system has built upon this lever by basically stereotyping against African Americans and this resulting in them being incarcerated for some reasons that may not cause a white person to be incarcerated for committing the same thing. Prison is a sense of slavery.. I recommend watching this documentary cause I sure will!