Introduction
What you will find in this site
What's new

Introduction

Welcome to the CREC School for International Studies and University of Hartford Politics and Government Department Constitutional Amendment Project.

This project imagines that Congress, at the request of 2/3 of the state legislatures, has done what the Constitution permits but the Congress has never done before: Called for a national convention to amend the Constitution of the United States of America. The agenda is open, the convention may propose any amendments it sees fit. As is always the case, however, any amendment that is proposed must be ratified by 3/4 of the states. 

For the purposes of our project, each participating class acts as a state. The classes will recommend amendments, select delegates to the Convention, and finally decide whether to ratify the proposals produced by the convention. 

This project is aimed to introduce students in classes across the state of Connecticut to the Constitutional Amendment process and bring students to investigate Constitutional issues through consideration of possible amendments. The project will simulate both the proposal stage and the ratification stage of the amendment process. Amendment Proposals will be passed by a Constitutional Convention of delegates from classes held at the University of Hartford on May 8, 1999 and proposed amendments will be considered ratified when passed by 3/4 of the participating classes. 

Background and Suggested Activities
Here you will find background information on the amendment process suitable for classroom use. The background material can be assigned for students to read or used as resources for lecture material. This material includes information on the amendment process and its history.

You will also find suggested activities for your classes. Each activity includes additional background information on a particular Constitutional amendment issue or controversy, questions for students to consider, and links to additional resources. Classes looking for ideas for how the Constitution might be amended are encouraged to look here.

Participants and Schedule
Contact information for all participating classes will be posted here as well as the schedule of activities for the project.

Amendment Recommendations
On or before April 26, the Special Committee on the Agenda (composed of participants in the CREC School for International Studies American Government summer course at the University of Hartford last July) will post a list of all the amendment recommendations which will be considered at the convention on May 8.

Convention Information
Directions to the University of Hartford, the convention schedule, and convention rules are posted here.

Proposed Amendments
Amendments passed by the May 8 convention at Hartford will be posted here.

New Federalist Papers
This is a place in which arguments in favor or in opposition to proposed amendments will be posted. Any student in a participating class is invited to submit to the New Federalist Papers once the results of the May 1 convention are announced. 

Teachers' Resources
This page includes a discussion of the minimal requirements of participation, suggestions for class activities, and links to other resources.

Introduction Page
This page, right here. 

What's New
11 June - Complete ratification returns are in! 

24 May - The authors of the original House term extension recommendation argue against ratification of the revised amendment proposal on the New Federalist Papers page. North Carolina submits its ratification returns.

13 May - The convention is now over, and the amendments which passed the proposal stage can be viewed on the Proposed Amendments page.

26 April - Convention date changed to May 8, 1999. More amendments posted on the Amendment Recommendations page. Arguments in favor of recommended amendments posted on the Amendment Recommendation Argument page.

16 April - Amendment recommendations submitted by Ohio and Louisiana are posted on the Amendment Recommendations page.

22 March - List of participating classes posted on the Participants and Schedule page.

14 March - The link to the question Should the United states adopt an amendment guaranteeing equal rights to all Americans regardless of sex, race, sexual orientation, marital status, ethnicity, national origin, color or indigence? is now established on the Background and Suggested Activities page. 

13 March - Suggestions for class activities and links to other resources added to Teachers' Resources page.