Amendment XXVII

"No law varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of representatives shall have intervened."

Finally, the twenty seventh amendment to the United States Constitution prevents Congress from giving themselves a pay raise, which is good, cause how weird would it be if you could just give yourself a raise whenever you wanted? This prevents lawmakers from being greedy and siphoning too much of the federal budget into their own pockets through their paychecks and also helps to allow for some ecumenic equality amongst senators and representatives.

When the final amendment was ratified, the country had been recovering from some economic hardships. After the passing of this amendment, the country continued to go through economic turmoil, which would have erupted into outrage had congressmen and congresswomen still been allowed to give themselves a raise.

This picture helps to further that point, illustrating that sometimes Congress can meet and follow all of their rules and still not accomplish much. That would not seem raise worthy to many people, so therefore they should not be allowed to give themselves more money for doing less work.

Amendment XXVI

"1: The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.

2: The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

This, the twenty sixth amendment, was ratified in 1971 and lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, opening up the polls to the younger generation earlier than ever and encouraging the youthful vote. It also granted protections to these young voters, preventing legislation that would drive the voting age back up.

This image helps show the law changed by the ratification of the twenty-sixth amendment, allowing those of 18 years of age to vote.

This cute minimalist image also helps convey the same meaning behind the twenty-sixth amendment, granting the right for younger people to make their voice heard.

Amendment XXV

"1: In case of the removal of the President from office or his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

2: Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take the office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both houses of Congress.

3: Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.

4: Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments, or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of his office as Acting President.
Thereafter, When the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department, or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four day to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty one days after the receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge his powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as the Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office."

The twenty fifth amendment gives recourse and ability to judge whether a President remains fit to continue his job as the President of the United States. The President is able to declare that they are unfit and Congress also has the ability to declare the President unfit. It also dictates what should happen if the President were to vacate his office and how a new Vice President would be chosen.

This image is a reference to the belief that the current president is unfit for his job and should resign, as he could easily be perceived as being unable to discharge his duties and responsibilities fully.

This comic is a funny little illustration of how the twenty-fifth amendment can be interpreted: if the President deems themself unable to do their job, they have to wait for an agreement from Congress.

Amendment XXIV

"1: the right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative of Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

2: The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

The twenty fourth amendment protects a citizens right to vote by making it illegal for the federal government or the state government to impose any kind of tax on voting.

This comic illustrates the future that this amendment was designed to avoid. It made the idea of a poll tax illegal so that people could not use voting as a tool for only the wealthy and limit its access.

Continuing on from the first image, this picture helps to illustrate the amount of people that would be left unable to participate in their political decisions if a poll tax was enacted.

Amendment XXIII

"1: The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct:

A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State,  but in no event more than the least populous state; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of the President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

2: The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

This amendment gave the citizens in the District of Columbia, known as Washington D.C. the right to vote.

This image helps to illustrate the irony over how Washington D.C. was not allowed to vote despite being the seat of American democracy.

This is an image of one of the stickers passed around at the time of the twenty-third amendment trying to convince people to allow D.C. to vote.

Amendment XXII

"1: No person shall be elected to the office of President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.

2: This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress."

The twenty second amendment limits the terms of the Presidency down to two terms, totaling eight years. This amendment was a response to FDR having been elected for four different terms and remains the only President to be elected for more than two terms. It was because of FDR's popularity that this amendment was ratified.

This comic illustrates the idea of how people should not be fooled or lured into voting for someone for a third term, siting a popular paraphrase to emphasize their point.

This is an image of a button that was in circulation as Roosevelt was running for his third term as President. It is a unique button as the idea of a third term will only every be applicable to Roosevelt, as he remains the only president to ever serve more than two terms.

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."

This amendment is significant for many ways. First of all, it is the first new amendment to have been ratified to the Constitution after it had been published by the Framers, setting a new procedure for amendment ratification. This amendment also created new protections within the Judicial system.