Can I Make Changes to the Constitution?

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

• If you disagree with something written in the U.S. Constitution, can it be changed?

Or maybe you believe there is a new law that should be added to the Constitution.

• Do you, as an ordinary United States citizen, have the power to add additional laws to what the Founding Fathers created so many years ago?

It makes sense to allow some change in laws, especially in a growing and changing land. So, in short, the answer to both of those questions is "Yes", but both are long processes, and few changes or additions make it to the Constitution.

The Founding Fathers wanted the people to be able to revise the Constitution based on the needs of their time, but they put a process in place that prevented the Constitution from constantly being changed.

The Founding Fathers called changes to the Constitution amendments and outlined how amendments can be made in Article V of the Constitution.

Read Article V of the Constitution below. Then, write out the steps needed to amend the Constitution.

• Did you write the steps out in order?

Review them as you watch the video below.

Make changes to your list if you need to.

• Do you understand all the steps in changing the Constitution?

Move on to the Got It? section to check your list.