Monday, November 29, 2010

What is the only part of the constitution that cannot be amended?

This one is a fascinating one.  The Constitution, as we all know, is an amendable document - every part of it can be amended - except one.  There is one part of the Constitution - and only one part - that its authors felt was so important that it could never be changed.  So, from our Pocket Trivia: US History Game: What is the only part of the Constitution that cannot be amended?  The ability of the federal government to print money, the repeal of prohibition, freedom of speech or each state having equal representation in the Senate?

The correct answer to this one is the provision requiring that every state in the United States have equal representation in the Senate.  This provision is found in Article Five of the Constitution.  The exact text is as follows:

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.

There you have it.  States can, if they chose, allow themselves to be deprived of their Senate seat, but no state can have their Senate seat removed without their consent.  It is interesting that this is the only section of the Constitution that is written as such.

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