The Importance Of A Constitutional Amendment

The Crittenden Compromise was not effective at reducing sectional tensions because it intensified the antipathy between the two regions and symbolized the end of Congressional attempts of reconciliation with the South. The Missouri Compromise, the most effective of the three, held off a major sectional crisis for almost 30 years, however, this compromise also divided the North and the South not only by ideology, but economically, politically, and socially as well, leading to open hostility between the regions. Therefore, political compromises that were introduced in the period between 1820 and 1861 such as the Compromise of 1850, The Crittenden Compromise, and the Missouri Compromise were primarily ineffective at reducing sectional tensions because though they postponed the impending national crisis, they were unable to thwart the inevitable Civil War due to the growing animosity and the “us against you” mentality between the Northern and Southern

In the early nineteenth century, Americans sought to resolve their political disputes through compromise. When faced with the politically tender issue of slavery, America made compromises trying to please both sides. This was first demonstrated when the Union was faced with Missouri wanting to join the Union which would upset the balance between the pro and anti-slavery sides of the Union in the Senate. Skills at compromise and pacification were also presented during the Nullification Crisis, the Compromise of 1850, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act. However by the election of 1860 attempts to compromise had ended and civil war began.

By the year 1860, there seemed to be no way that compromise could not possibly accomplish to peace among the south and the

The fourteenth amendment has been and still is the most important amendment in the Constitution. It has been instrumental in improving the rights of citizens and has been used to litigate many landmark supreme court cases; it has been referred to in more court case than any other amendment. written into law on July 9, 1868, the fourteenth amendment grants citizenship to everyone born or naturalized in the United States. Furthermore, it bars states from denying any person life, liberty, or property, without due process of law or to deny to any person within its authority the equal protection of the law.

How important was the U.S.S. Constitution to the navy? The U.S.S. Constitution was a very important asset to the navy. The ship was built strong to help the country’s weak navy,fight ferociously and survive for a long time. The U.S.S. Constitution is a patriotic symbol of power, strength, and perseverance. The U.S.S. Constitution was very resistant to damage from the water it sailed on and the enemy fire it took because of the care it was built with.

The Amendment left open possibilities, that states could establish voter qualifications equally to all races. Many states took advantage of this position, establishing poll taxes and literacy tests among other qualifications, which were prohibited later with help of Voting Rights Act.

While conservatives and many moderates were content merely to call for the restoration of the Missouri Compromise or a prohibition of slavery extension, the radicals insisted that no further political compromise with slavery was possible. In the following years, this anti-slavery party would gain many followers. By 1856 the Republicans had elected a Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives and placed a candidate in the election for president. In the Election of 1860, Abraham Lincoln would become inaugurated as a member of the Republican party, defeating John Breckinridge, Stephen Douglas, and John Bell of the Southern Democratic Party, Northern Democratic Party, and Constitutional Union respectively.

This time period rested on the Civil War era, when the argument arose contemplating if the Federal government should have the ability to control slavery in a particular state. The Missouri Compromise succeeded only temporarily before tension grew between North and South. The Northern and Southern states participated in the debate, which led to the expansion of separating the nation.

The American Civil War was one of the bloodiest American wars fought; about two percent of the American population died. If two percent of all Americans were killed in a war today, about six million Americans would be dead. Why couldn’t the presidents of the Confederate and United States of America just come to an agreement and avoid so much bloodshed? From 1820 to 1858, United States Politics transformed from making Compromises between the pro-slavery economy of the South and the Free economy of the North to most southern states agreeing that they should secede from our supposedly corrupt and biased government. However, by 1860, compromise was beyond consideration

The core issue of the Republican Party, and Lincoln was over the extension of slavery. Abolitionists and supporters of free soil in the North worked to keep the Republicans from compromising on their territorial stand. In the South, proslavery advocates and secessionists gathered public opinion and demanded that state conventions assemble to consider secession.

Lincoln suggests that the institution of slavery be contained by preventing the spread of it to the new territories and Free states, although he had no interest in interfering with the already entitled slave states. He agrees that it was the right of the state to make its own decisions, not the federal government. Although Lincoln did not favor getting involved with abolishing slavery in the already declared slave states, he did favor total abolition in the distant future. He was first worried about stopping the expansion of slavery and then the next step to be taken would have been the "ultimate extinction" of it throughout the states. Lincoln did believe that every white man had no more equality than another. For this is one of the main reasons why at this time a resolution needed to be found in order to keep this equality in the new territories. Lincoln made a valid point in his speech that if slave holders were to settle in a new territory along with people opposed to slavery, which party has the right to decide what type of territory and future state it will be declared as? As for the rights of slaves, Lincoln agreed with Douglas that slaves did not have the same individual rights as everyone else, but he did believe that the liberties given under the Declaration of Independence involved such slaves. It is obvious that the Republicans of this time find slavery as being a "moral, social, and political wrong",

To amend the constitution, various steps and procedures must be taken. When either Congress (which takes a two-thirds majority vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives), or a constitutional convention (which takes two-thirds of the State legislatures) want to propose an amendment, they give it to the National Archives and Records Administration. The Congress proposes the amendment as a joint resolution to the National Archives and Records Administrations Office of the Federal Register for the publication process. The Office of the Federal Register adds legislative notes to the joint resolution and publishes it in slip law format. The Office of the Federal Register also puts together an information package for the States

The Second Amendment is making headlines these days. The Second Amendment states, A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. This Amendment was ratified in December of 1791. This amendment was proposed by James Madison, after the constitution was ratified. “James Madison originally proposed the Second Amendment shortly after the Constitution was officially ratified as a way to provide more power to state militias…” (Brooks, The Second Amendment and the Right to Bear Arms) The latest court case on the Second Amendment is the Peruta v. California “case”. But that was turned down the case. The Second Amendment is important because it provides self defense, enables U.S. citizens to hunt for food, and it allows for citizens of states in the U.S. to form militias.

The constitutional amendment prohibiting alcohol failed for many reasons, but mostly because it was a change at the national level that did not have national support. One of the defining differences of the United States is that are overall area contributes to vastly different regional societies with unique morals and principles. The idea of a constitutional ban on all alcohol, marijuana, nicotine, or even caffeine could be welcomed by the majority in certain areas of the country but seen as an abject misuse of power by the government in other more liberal areas. For example, many states have already taken the steps to legalize marijuana sale and possession as a result of overwhelming support from a majority of their constituents. A constitutional amendment to ban marijuana would see the rise of much political unrest in these states and the return of drug cartel based distribution and organized criminal activity.

The framers of our Constitution knew that time has a way of changing countries and their citizens. Our country was in a whirlwind of change in 1789 as people were experiencing freedom from the tyranny of England for the first time in their lives. Our country was being molded and formed into a great nation by the founding fathers. Expectations and rules had to be set to protect the rights of the minorities and majorities. Amendments to the Constitution were written to ensure equality for all in changing times.