AMENDMENTS 17-22

AMENDMENT 17

WHAT DID IT DO?

• Allowed the people to vote for Senators.
• 2 from each state.
• If a senator left office, the governor could then pick a replacement.

WHY DID IT HAPPEN?

• Corruption in local governments led senators to be put in office by bribe or favor.
• Prior to the amendment, state legislatures chose senators.

It's still relevant today, as the public still votes for the senators that are put into office today.

AMENDMENT 18

WHAT...?

• It made the production, transport, and selling of alcohol illegal.
• Aka, the prohibition.

WHY?

• It came from years of effort by the temperance movement in the U.S.

This amendment, unlike the last, is not relevant today. It was later changed with the 21st amendment.

AMENDMENT 19

WHAT DID IT DO?

• It gave women the right to vote!
• A US citizen would not be denied the right to vote based on gender.

WHY?

• The idea of letting women vote was introduced to congress in 1878.
• Women began to protest and tried to create suffrage acts within individual states.

This amendment is obviously still relevant today, as all american citizens of age, are given the right to vote.

AMENDMENT 20

WHAT DID IT DO?

• It changed the president and Vice Presidents terms from beginning March 4th to January 20th.
• It also made congress members take office on January 3rd.

WHY?

• It was impractical for there to be so much time from when the new president was elected to when they took office.
• "Lame duck" politicians.

This amendment is still relevant and used today!

AMENDMENT 21

WHAT DID IT DO!

• The 21st amendment repealed the 18th amendment.
• This made alcohol legal again in the United States.

WHY?

• The majority of the United States disagreed with the 18th amendment.
• Crime rates rose, and it didn't help people the way it was meant to.

The 21st amendment is relevant today because alcohol is legal to those over 21.

AMENDMENT 22

WHAT DID IT DO?

• This amendment set the term limit for presidents to 2 terms.

WHY?

• This stopped people from being in office for too long, allowing america to stay true to democracy.

This amendment is still used today. Presidents may only serve up to two terms.