Read the following passage. Since the first ten amendments were added to the U. S. Constitution, centuries have passed. In that time, just seventeen more amendments have been added. There are now just twenty-seven amendments in all. The Twenty-Seventh Amendment was introduced by James Madison in 1789. It was not adopted until 1992. This most recent of amendments assures that members of Congress cannot vote for a pay raise and take the raise within their term. Though amendments are few overall, four have to do with giving voting rights to more people. The Declaration of Independence states that “all men are created equal,” but this principle has not always been put into practice. This has been especially true when it comes to the right to vote. The Fifteenth Amendment declares, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” This law was ratified after the Civil War. Members of Congress wanted to make sure that former slaves could vote. The Nineteenth Amendment gives women the right to vote. The Twenty-Third Amendment makes sure that people living in the District of Columbia can vote in presidential elections. The Twenty-Sixth Amendment lowered the voting age to eighteen rather than twenty-one. Do you think the Constitution needs an amendment stating that all U. S. law should be based on equality for all citizens? After deciding, make a claim that explains your position. Support your claim with two major points. Use information in the passage or from the lesson. Write a conclusion. Your response should be between seventy-five and one hundred and fifty words.

Explanation:Proposed September 25, 1789; Adopted December 15, 1791

It's almost impossible to imagine the United States (U.S.) Constitution without having a Bill of Rights, but when it was first being drafted, a majority of the Founding Fathers didn't think it was necessary.

However, there were a few men who believed it was so significant that they refused to sign the Constitution because it didn't have one. Three famous refusers were George Mason of Virginia, Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, and Edmund Randolph of Virginia.

As it turned out, these three were not the only ones who thought this was an issue. When State ratification messages started arriving with their own commentary and suggestions for individual rights, Congress began to consider the idea of a "Bill of Rights."

James Madison was responsible for drafting the document and originally wrote 17 sections. This number was whittled down to 12, but only ten of which were ratified by a majority of the States.

These final ten became the first ten Amendments to the United States (U.S.) Constitution.

Sovereign Immunity of States (Amendment 11)

Proposed March 4, 1794; Adopted February 7, 1795

The Eleventh Amendment to the United States Constitution was written as a direct response to the 1793 Supreme Court case known as Chisholm v. Georgia in which a citizen from South Carolina, Alexander Chisholm attempted to sue the state of Georgia over finances. Georgia refused to show up in court, as the leaders felt it's being sued in the first place was a violation of its state sovereignty. Despite the complaints of Georgia, the Court ruled in favor of Chisholm.

This amendment clarified Article III, Section 2 of the Constitution and removed federal jurisdiction in cases where citizens of one state or foreign countries attempt to sue another state.

Of Presidents, Senators, and Members of Congress (Amendments 12, 17, 20, 22, 25, & 27)

The Twelfth Amendment (Proposed December 9, 1803; Adopted June 15, 1804) changed the way the President and the Vice President were elected. Previously, according to Article I, Section 1, Clause 3 of the Constitution, the individual at the end of the election with the most electoral votes became president, and the first runner-up became Vice President. Well, this logic worked excellently until the election year of 1796 when Federalist candidate John Adams was chosen as second President of the United States, and his rival, Thomas Jefferson, became Vice President.

the constitution gives congress the power to regulate commerce "among" the several states.