Amending the Constitution Project

As we learn about the U.S. Constitution—the historical events that influenced its purpose, the political
philosophies that guide its principles, and the people/events/movements that shaped it into the document we
know today—we’re gonna see that it’s actually kind of… imperfect. And in more ways than one.

For this project, you will identify one way (one political issue) that the U.S. Constitution does not adequately
meet the needs of American citizens, in your opinion. Then, you will write a proposal for a constitutional
amendment that will address the issue that you chose. Last, you will create a proposal tool to help raise
support for your amendment. We will present our amendment proposals as a class at the end of the unit.

Since this project is pretty open-ended and individualized, I expect you all to be mindful with your planning,
and to ask questions if you are confused about anything. Once you pick your political issue, I will meet with
you to discuss your idea, and plan for your proposal and proposal tool. We’ll also have some time in class to
help you put everything together.

Important Dates: Project Components:

§ Friday 1/25: In-class time to 1. Political issue proposal (10pts)
brainstorm/research political issues 2. Amendment proposal (50pts)
§ Monday 1/28: Political issue proposal due 3. Proposal tool (25pts)
§ Friday 2/1: Full in-class work day 4. Presentation (15pts)
§ Wednesday 2/6: Half in-class work day Total: 100pts
§ Friday 2/8: Project due & presentations

1. Political Issue Proposal

Here, you will formally state: 1) the political issue you want to focus on; 2) how your amendment will
address that issue (in other words—its purpose). You will submit this information on a provided
proposal sheet. You will also state if you are working on your own or with another person.
 2. Amendment Proposal
This is the written part of the project. In a 2-4 page paper, you will provide information for the
following sections:
1) Historical Background: When did your political issue first become a problem in the US? What has
the government done to try to address the issue?
2) Social impact: Who is most affected by your political issue? Why is the issue a problem for those
citizens’ lives? How will solving the issue help other Americans?
3) Data: You will need to back up your amendment proposal with numbers. Show that your political
issue is actually an issue that Americans face, and that the issue has negative consequences in
peoples’ lives.
4) Expected Outcome: If your amendment is ratified, what will be the effect of your proposal in
American citizens’ lives?
5) Citations: You will need to include at least 3 citations for your research in MLA format.
You can write the Amendment Proposal like a traditional essay (intro, body, concluding paragraphs),
but it does not need to be that way. You may also write it in sections, like an executive summary or
press release. Also, don’t get crazy with font; uses something standard, 12pt, double-spaced.
3. Proposal Tool
Here’s where you can get crafty. You will create some sort of promotional tool to get people to support
your amendment. Some ideas include: a commercial, a picket sign (like what you’d see at a march), a
PPT presentation, posterboard, etc.… The Proposal Tool needs to do 3 things: state your issue, state
your proposed amendment, and state why people should support your amendment. Those 3 things
should be clear and understandable. Keep in mind, you don’t necessarily need to use words to get your
point across, but they definitely help…
4. Presentation
At the end of the unit, we will present our amendment proposals in class… in 3-minute pitches. So
practice, make sure you know your stuff, and that your Proposal Tool can be clearly understood!

Guidelines:
§ You can work on your own or with another person
§ Do not pick something random or silly. Your political issue needs to relevant and important to Americans
today. There are a lot of political issues out there that have a huge impact on peoples’ lives, so choose
something meaningful.

Here are some potential topics to help you get started:

§ Changing term limits for SCOTUS justices, members of congress, the president, etc.
§ Campaign finance reform (check out Citizens United v. FEC court case)
§ Immigration reform (birthright citizenship, naturalization requirements, etc.)
§ Getting rid of the electoral college
§ Health care
§ Reparations to historically marginalized groups
§ Drug decriminalization
§ De-privatization of public services (prisons, schools, hospitals, etc.)
§ Tax reform
§ 2nd Amendment re-interpretation