The 15th and 19th Amendments are examples of when the Constitution has been changed to expand democracy. The 15th Amendment stated that individuals who used to be slaves could not be deprived of their right to vote. This alteration included the statement that such occurrences were impermissible, notwithstanding an individual’s race or skin color (Richards 161). The 19th Amendment gave formal consent to the understanding that all females should be given the right to vote. Thus, these two ratifications demonstrate situations when the Constitution was changed to become more inclusive and to avoid inequality or discrimination.
Various amendments have been added to the Constitution since its creation to reflect and react to the requirements, issues, and needs of the current population. The document has been amended 27 times; however, some of these changes were not always carried through (Vile 215). Certain ratifications provided evidence of changes in society that required formal consent. For instance, the prohibition of slavery or discrimination against women consolidated the actual need for equality. However, the 18th Amendment, forbidding alcohol production and consumption, was canceled after ratification. This instability highlights the need to take control of the existing problem, but the amendment was called off because it was deemed inappropriate to create laws managing the private habits of residents (McClanahan 231). Thus, it can be assumed that ratifications appear as a reflection of changes within the nation, and its growth over time.
The Constitution could be amended further to include the possibility of allowing immigrants to be elected to the presidency. At present, only those individuals who have a citizen parent are eligible to become the president of the country (McGinnis and Rappaport 113). However, many promising individuals who have held high public office have no such possibility. Therefore, the inclusion of this population group could expand democracy in the country.
Works Cited
McClanahan, Brion. The Founding Fathers Guide to the Constitution. Regnery Publishing, 2013.
McGinnis, John, and Michael Rappaport. Originalism and the Good Constitution. Harvard University Press, 2013.
Richards, David. Conscience and the Constitution. Princeton University Press, 2014.
Vile, John. A Companion to the United States Constitution and Its Amendments. 6th ed., ABC-CLIO, 2015.