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AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION
The purpose of this assignment is to write an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that
addresses a problem faced by Americans in 2015. This is a collaborative assignment, so
students may work in groups of up to three people. First, teams will identify an issue
facing the nation that can be resolved by amending the Constitution. A list of possible
topics can be found on the other side of this page. Teams will then research the issue
they have chosen and present a proposed solution to the class. The presentation can be
made in one of these formats--a commercial, a press kit, or an alternative presentation
proposed by the research team.
Commercial: Team members will create a 60-second video presentation explaining their
proposed amendment. The commercial should be designed to air on television or on the
internet. In the commercial, team members must explain how their proposal would solve
a national problem and make America stronger. This is a persuasive piece, so use
techniques that will convince an audience your solution will work.
Press kit: A press kit is a set of promotional materials designed to advertise a particular
idea or organization. It is distributed to members of the media to promote a campaign.
In this case, the campaign is for the proposed amendment. The press kit for this
assignment must include a campaign poster, a brochure, and a PowerPoint presentation
explaining the amendment and the issue it addresses. Like the commercial, the materials
in the press kit should be persuasive.
Alternative presentation: Groups may also propose a presentation of their own creation.
The proposal must first get the approval of Mr. Olds. An alternative presentation must be
comparable to the commercial or press kit in terms of the purpose of the assignment and
the amount of work required.
All teams must also complete a proposal worksheet. The proposal worksheet identifies
the issue being addressed and places it into historical context. Teams will also use the
worksheet to explain how their amendment solves a problem, as well as what opposition
their proposal might face during the ratification process. Only one worksheet is required
for each group. The proposal worksheet is attached to the directions and is also available
on the class website.
Work for this project is due in two stages:
THE PROPOSAL WORKSHEET IS DUE ON MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015.
THE PRESENTATION (COMMERCIAL, PRESS KIT, OR ALTERNATIVE) IS
DUE ON MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015.
Good luck and bring honor to your family.
Possible topics for amendment proposals:
Change the national voting age
Term limits for Supreme Court justices
Term limit revision for the President and/or members of Congress
Gay marriage--legalize or prohibit
Repeal the 16th Amendment--abolish the federal income tax
Establish a national minimum wage
Require state or national identification in order to vote
1st Amendment protection for corporations--see Citizens United (2010) decision
Universal health care—abolish Obamacare or make it a Constitutional right
Legalize school prayer
Native American reparations--government compensation for land taken
Do away with the Electoral College in presidential elections
Repeal the 2nd Amendment--the right to bear arms
Establish English as the official language of the United States
Abolish the death penalty
Citizenship requirements--revise 14th Amendment "born in the U.S." clause
Immigration reform
Campaign finance reform
Require a balanced federal budget each year
Establish a national driving age
Compulsory voting—that means you have to vote in an election
You can also think of your own topic for this assignment--the possibilities are endless.
What is an issue facing the United States that you think could be resolved with an
amendment to the Constitution?
Try to propose an amendment that is realistic and feasible. Less than 1% of all proposed
amendments to the Constitution have been ratified. Here is a list of some proposals that
failed to make the cut:
1876:
1878:
1893:
1893:
1912:
1914:
1916:
1938:
1947:
1968:
1971:
2009:
an attempt to abolish the United States Senate
an Executive Council of Three should replace the office of the President
renaming the nation the “United States of Earth”
abolishing the United States Army and Navy
making marriage between races illegal
making divorce illegal
all acts of war should be put to a national vote; anyone voting yes would be
required to register for service in the United States Army
forbidding drunkenness in the United States and all of its territories
establishing a maximum income tax of 25% for an individual
forbidding the burning of the American flag
American citizens should have the right to an environment free of pollution
establishing term limits for members of Congress
AMENDMENT PROPOSAL WORKSHEET
Team members __________________________________________________________
Proposed amendment:
What is the historical background of the issue your amendment addresses? Why is this
an important issue for the United States? Put your proposal into historical context.
What is the expected outcome of your proposal? In other words, how does your
amendment solve the problem you identified?
What opposition might your proposal face during the ratification process? What are the
arguments against your amendment?