Amending the Constitution

Essential Question: What are the formal and informal ways in which the Constitution can be amended?

The Formal Amendment Process:

The Informal Process of Constitutional Change

Changes through Law• Congress passed

laws to expand its authority• Congress expanded

the Executive BranchChanges through Practices• Interpretation of

Constitution has changed over time: what are high crimes and misdemeanors?

The Informal Process of Constitutional Change

Informal Presidential Changes• Presidential Succession: Is

the VP the “real” President or a stand in?

• Executive agreements vs. Treaties

• Requesting Legislation Judicial Review• Woodrow Wilson called

the Supreme Court “a constitutional convention in continuous session.”

• Judicial activism vs. Judicial Restraint

Now reflect and answer…Over time the meaning of the Constitution has

been changed by both formal and informal methods.

a. Explain two formal methods for adding amendments to the Constitution.

b. Describe two informal methods that have been used to change the meaning of the Constitution. Provide one specific example for each informal method you described.

c. Explain why you think informal methods are used more often than the formal amendment process.