Paul Jones Mrs. Quinn G.A.L.R.E. December 6, 2010 Unit 3 Lesson 15 Reviewing and Using the Lesson 1. Describe the processes that the Constitution contains for amending the Constitution. What might have been the consequences if the Framers had not provided for an orderl oppurtuinty to amend the document? The first method is for a bill to pass both houses of the legislature, by a two-thirds majority in each. Once the bill has passed both houses, it goes on to the states. This is the route taken by all current amendments. Because of some long outstanding amendments, such as the 27th, Congress will normally put a time limit (typically seven years) for the bill to be approved as an amendment (for example, see the 21st and 22nd).The second method prescribed is for a Constitutional Convention to be called by two-thirds of the legislatures of the States, and for that Convention to propose one or more amendments. 2. What were the arguments for and against including the Bill of Rights in the body the Constitution as opposed to adding these rights at the end of the document? A listing of rights can be a dangerous thing.If the national government were to protect specific listed rights, what would stop it from violating rights other than the listed ones? Since we can't list all the rights, the Federalists argued that it's better to list none at all. 3. Which of all the amendments to the Constitution have made the country more democratic? In what ways? Any amendment that has increased the number of people eligible to vote has helped make America more democratic. 4. Describe the doctrine of judicial review. In what ways has judicial review proven to be controversial? Judicial review in the United States refers to the power of a court to review the constitutionality of a statute or treaty, or to review an administrative regulation for consistency with either a statute, a treaty, or the constitution itself. The power of judicial review is not expressly delegated to the courts in the Constitution. States alone have the power to ratify changes to the "supreme law" (the U.S. Constitution), and that the states should play some role in interpreting its meaning.