2008 civics test · Question 4 · Principles of American Democracy
What is an amendment?
Any one of these answers is accepted
- a change (to the Constitution)
- an addition (to the Constitution)
What this means
An amendment is a change or an addition to the Constitution. Either wording is accepted.
The founders knew the country would grow and change, so they built in a way to update the Constitution without rewriting it. Amendments are added to the end of the original document rather than edited into the text, which is why you can still read the 1787 wording alongside every change made since.
There have been 27 amendments in all. The first ten, added together in 1791, are known as the Bill of Rights. Later ones ended slavery, extended the vote, and set presidential term limits.
For the test, a short answer is best: “a change to the Constitution” or “an addition to the Constitution.”
Why this is on the test
Understanding what an amendment is makes the later questions about the Bill of Rights and specific amendments much easier to follow.
How this question is asked
On the 2008 civics test, the officer asks up to 10 of the 100 questions out loud and you pass by answering 6 correctly. You answer in your own words. There is no multiple choice and nothing to write down for the civics portion.
Related questions
More from Principles of American Democracy.
- 1 What is the supreme law of the land?
- 2 What does the Constitution do?
- 3 The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
- 5 What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
- 6 What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment? ★ 65/20 question
- 7 How many amendments does the Constitution have?