Amendments 14-18

Amendments 14-18 are basically just expansions on the Bill of Rights, except they actually focus in on specific issues and certain rights. The 14th amendment is the rights of citizens, "It provides for the acquisition of United States citizenship by birth or naturalization. Citizenship at birth is determined according to the principle of jus soli-"the law of the soil," where born; naturalization is the legal process by which one acquires a new citizenship can also at some time, after birth. Under certain circumstances, citizenship can also be gained at birth according to the principle of jus sanguinis-"the law of the blood," to whom born." (McClenaghan)So basically the 14th amendment says the same things as the Bill of Rights, it just focuses in on certain issues such as citizenship. Other issues this amendment deals with is it puts more limitations on a state's power, by sying that a state can not violate a citizen's privileges or immunities or deprive anyone of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, and must guarantee all people equal protections by the law. The last things that the 14th amendment talks about is how that a state's legislative body and the U.S. House of Representatives must be apportioned equally, and last but not least this amendment gave the Congress the power to enforce all the provisions that were talked about throughout the whole amendment.The 15th amendment is the Right to Vote, it states that the United States or any single state can not use race, color or servitude in determining who can vote, this amendment also gives the Congress the authority to enforce this amendment. The 16th amendment is the Income Tax, it states that that Congress has the power to levy an income tax, a direct tax, without regard to the population of any of the States. So basically it gives the government the right to raise taxes. The 17th amendment is the Popular Election of Senators, it states that "Senators are now elected by the voters in each State. If a vacancy occurs, the govenor of the State involved must call an election to fill the seat; the govenor may appoint a Senator to serve until the next election, if the State's legislature has authorized that step." (McClenaghan)So basically this amendment changed the rule for electing senators, by making the voters now be the ones who elect the Senators, and it gives the guidelines as to what is to be done if a vacancy opens up in the Senate.The 18th amendment is the Prohibition of Intoxicating Liquors, this amendment was repealed by the 21st amendment, but it basically outlawed the making, selling, transporting, importing and exporting alcoholic beverages in the United States, that is all the 18th amendment states.

Work Cited entry
McClenaghan, A., William. Magruder’s American Government. Department of Political Science Oregon State University Prentice Hall Needham, Massachusetts 1989.

Peltason, J.W. Understanding The Constitution. Copyright (c) 1982 by CBS College Publishing 383 Madison Avenue New York, N.Y. 10017

Ritchie, A. Donald. Our Constitution. (c) 2006 by the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania Published by Oxford University Press, Inc. 198 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016

The Constitution Of The United States Of America. U.S. Government Printing Office Washington : 1976