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Document A: Sixteenth, Seventeenth, Eighteenth, and Twenty-First Amendments

Handout A: Sixteenth, Seventeenth, Eighteenth, and Twenty-First Amendments

Sixteenth Amendment (1913)

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 of enumeration.

  1. How did the power of the federal government change with the passage and ratification of Sixteenth Amendment?
  2. Why do you think the federal government believed that the Sixteenth Amendment was necessary?

Seventeenth Amendment (1913)

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.

  1. How did the power of the federal government change with the passage and ratification of Seventeenth Amendment?
  2. Why do you think the federal government believed that the Seventeenth Amendment was necessary?

Eighteenth Amendment (1919)

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.

Twenty-First Amendment (1933)

Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

 

Section 2. The transportation or importation into any state, territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

 

Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several states, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the states by the Congress.

  1. How did the power of the federal government change with the passage and ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment?
  2. Why do you think the federal government believed that the Eighteenth Amendment was necessary?
  3. Why was the Twenty-First Amendment passed and ratified?
  4. Why do you think the federal government believe that the Twenty-First Amendment was necessary?