Y’see, there were originally Twelve Amendments proposed to the Constitutional Convention as a “Bill of Rights” back in 1789. The first one had to do with the apportionment of Representatives to Congress, and the second one had to do with the compensation of members of Congress. These two weren’t ratified by a sufficient number of States and were set aside. The others (originally numbered 3-12) were renumbered as Amendments 1-10, and became known as the Bill of Rights. That second one was eventually ratified, and became the 27th Amendment.

But let’s look at some of the others, shall we?

Amendment XI

The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State. (Ratified February 7, 1795)

This one is mainly for lawyers.

Amendment XII

The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate;

The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted;

The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. [And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President.] (Superseded by Amendment XX, Section 3.)

The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States. (Ratified June 15, 1804)

This is the one that establishes the Electoral College, and makes us a “Federal Republic”, rather than a Democracy.

Amendment XIII

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.  (Ratified December 6, 1865)

This Amendment was basically shoved down the throats of the Southern States as a part of the Reconstruction after the Civil War.

Amendment XIV

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age,(See Note 15) and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.  (Ratified July 9th 1868)

This is one that has been more misused by illegal aliens in today’s society than any other Amendment, because of that clause from Section 1, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States ... are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

Y’see, if little Juanita (who just happens to be 8 1/2 months pregnant) manages to sneak across the border - a feat about as difficult as keeping a straight face while lying (if you can do one, you can do the other) - and goes into labor on the doorsteps of the San Ysidro or El Paso hospital, her little Jose automatically becomes an American citizen, immune from deportation. The new mother gets to stay as well, since there is no way for the baby to take care of himself. If the mother is married, the father gets to come across as well (because you cannot separate a married couple). Then comes the eager agents of the government, offering the whole family all kinds of financial benefits - welfare, food stamps, rental assistance, you name it.

Sorry, I got distracted there for a minute, and started to go into a rant. (I live here in SoCal, where the problem is both serious and acute.)

Ahem.

Amendment XV

Section 1. 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.

Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. (Ratified February 3, 1870)

This one guarantees the right to vote to all citizens, regardless of race, even those that were slaves until just a few years before.

Amendment XVI

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration. (Ratified February 3, 1913)

You read that right, folks. The income tax (and the IRS) is less than a century old. Why can’t we repeal this one? (Sigh)

Amendment XVII

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution. (Ratified April 8, 1913)

This one just made Senators electable by the general population of each of the States, rather than being appointed by the Legislatures of each State (which is how it had been prior to this Amendment).

Amendment XVIII

Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.

Section 2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress. (Ratified January 16, 1919)

This is the Amendment that people talk about when they say “Prohibition”. It’s the one that made Al Capone a multi-millionnaire and a powerful gangster in Chicago. It’s the one that caused the name of Elliot Ness to become the household name it is today. It’s the only Amendment that has ever been repealed (by the 21st).

It’s what happens when you have governments trying to legislate morality.

I’ve done enough for today. I’ll get to Amendments XIX-XVII tomorrow.