Paul Jones

Mrs. Quinn
G.A.L.R.E.
December 6, 2010
Unit 3 Lesson 15 – Reviewing and Using the Lesson
1. Describe the processes that the Constitution contains for amending the Constitution. What
might have been the consequences if the Framers had not provided for an orderl oppurtuinty to
amend the document?
The first method is for a bill to pass both houses of the legislature, by a two-thirds majority in
each. Once the bill has passed both houses, it goes on to the states. This is the route taken by all
current amendments. Because of some long outstanding amendments, such as the 27th,
Congress will normally put a time limit (typically seven years) for the bill to be approved as an
amendment (for example, see the 21st and 22nd).The second method prescribed is for a
Constitutional Convention to be called by two-thirds of the legislatures of the States, and for
that Convention to propose one or more amendments.
2. What were the arguments for and against including the Bill of Rights in the body the
Constitution as opposed to adding these rights at the end of the document?
A listing of rights can be a dangerous thing.If the national government were to protect specific
listed rights, what would stop it from violating rights other than the listed ones? Since we can't
list all the rights, the Federalists argued that it's better to list none at all.
3. Which of all the amendments to the Constitution have made the country more democratic? In
what ways?
Any amendment that has increased the number of people eligible to vote has helped make
America more democratic.
4. Describe the doctrine of judicial review. In what ways has judicial review proven to be
controversial?
Judicial review in the United States refers to the power of a court to review the constitutionality
of a statute or treaty, or to review an administrative regulation for consistency with either a
statute, a treaty, or the constitution itself. The power of judicial review is not expressly
delegated to the courts in the Constitution. States alone have the power to ratify changes to the
"supreme law" (the U.S. Constitution), and that the states should play some role in interpreting
its meaning.