Debates over constitutional rights impact you every day as an American citizen. But do you know what the U.S. Constitution actually says? This accessible guide contains the complete text of the Constitution, with short, descriptive margin notes throughout. Articles and amendments are then analyzed in depth to help you comprehend the basis of democracy. This valuable handbook covers: How the articles and amendments were drafted Insight into the intentions of the creators and the sources they used Controversial interpretations and Supreme Court decisions How the Constitution affects citizens every day The Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and unratified Constitutional amendments This book walks you through the history of this essential document and shows how it has guided lawmakers and judges for more than 200 years. This unbiased look at the Constitution will help you feel confident in your knowledge of this all-important document, gain a firmer understanding of how our government works, and put context around today's most pressing issues.

Constitutional Amendments: Making, Breaking, and Changing Constitutions is both a roadmap for navigating the intellectual universe of constitutional amendments and a blueprint for building and improving the rules of constitutional change. Drawing from dozens of constitutions in every region of the world, this book blends theory with practice to answer two all-important questions: what is an amendment and how should constitutional designers structure the procedures of constitutional change? The first matters now more than ever. Reformers are exploiting the rules of constitutional amendment, testing the limits of legal constraint, undermining the norms of democratic government, and flouting the constitution as written to create entirely new constitutions that masquerade as ordinary amendments. The second question is central to the performance and endurance of constitutions. Constitutional designers today have virtually no resources to guide them in constructing the rules of amendment, and scholars do not have a clear portrait of the significance of amendment rules in the project of constitutionalism. This book shows that no part of a constitution is more important than the procedures we use change it. Amendment rules open a window into the soul of a constitution, exposing its deepest vulnerabilities and revealing its greatest strengths. The codification of amendment rules often at the end of the text proves that last is not always least.

The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is the cornerstone of this manual. It is the foundation upon which all other rights, privileges and responsibilities belonging to Black Americans in this country were built. The 13th Amendment Freedom Week Manual is written to provide an annual celebrations week, during the week of December 6th, that educates as well as celebrates the beginning of freedom for ALL (not just some) American citizens. This manual focuses on the ANTI-slavery movement in America, starting with the Quakers and Founding Fathers, and includes the courageous actions of the slaves and freed slaves themselves. It is hoped that it will give proper respect and honor to the brave souls who, with God's help, unleashed overwhelming powerful forces to break the chains of bondage for four million slaves and their descendents. The manual seeks to establish an annual week long celebration featuring something new to learn each day. It will provide a consolidated system of knowledge that leads to increased freedoms. It explains what freedom means, and it explains the difference between national independence and individual freedoms. On Day One, the manual's focus is on outstanding abolitionists; Day Two, it highlights the basic -forms- of government that may or may not contribute to freedom, justice and equal opportunity; on Day Three, the book highlights the various -kinds- of economic systems that may or may not also contribute to freedom, justice and equal opportunity; on Day Four, the manual provides a list of historical documents that have contributed to freedom; on Day Five an exercise in genealogical research is encouraged; on Day Six, festivities and games are encouraged; and on Day Seven, -Guiding Principles for Reflection and Contemplation- are listed. The 13th Amendment Freedom Week Manual features and highlights the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments and is unique in that it also list the members of the 38th Congress, the 39th Congress and the 40th Congress who voted for or against these particular Amendments, respectfully