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Friday, September 19, 2014

amendments



Choose one of the 27 United States Constitutional Amendments and explain why it is significant to you.  Have this done by 9/26/2014

39 comments:

  1. The amendment that has the most significance in my life is the first amendment, mainly freedom of speech. This amendment allows any United States citizen the right to express themselves freely. I cant imagine not being to express myself. I express myself in many ways, if that is through soccer or other activities, I am privileged to be able to express myself in the way that I do. I cant imagine not being to express myself and not having a voice. Having a voice is one of the most powerful things a human can have. A voice is very powerful, it can move people. Similar to Malala. Her voice is not allowed to be heard, but she went against her culture and allowed her voice to be heard around the world.

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  2. Even though I'm not a girl, the 19th Amendment has affected my life greatly. It declared that there was equal and you could not suppress a women of her right to vote. That hasn't affected my life, but the changes that were caused by that amendment changed the role of women in society. My mother is the most important person in the world to me. She gives me everything from hockey equipment, trips around the world, and an education like Berkshire. If the 19th Amendment had not been passed, my mom might not have been able to do those things for me and my life would be completely different. The 19th Amendment has affected my life indirectly, but it has made it so much better and enjoyable.

    -Sam Topham

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  3. The 1st amendment is the most significant in my life. Being able to be yourself is extremely important in anyone’s life. Without being able to share your thoughts on anything, people wouldn’t be unique. Having the freedom to pursue your passion and talk about it is what life is all about. With freedom of speech people can change the world in expressing their thoughts and without that freedom we might not be where we are today.
    Spencer Cookson

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  4. The amendment that is most significant to my life is the 19th. Despite the fact that the fight for women's equality is far from over, I think that this began the much needed fundamentals of women's rights. Especially given our speakers this past week, it is vital for us to recognize how fortunate we are to be viewed as equal regardless of gender. Some of the most influential people in my life are my mom and my sisters and I know for a fact I would not be who I am today without them; the idea of them not having equal rights is disturbing for me to contemplate and we are fortunate to have this amendment.

    -Julia Allyn

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  5. My favorite amendment would most definitely have to be the thirteenth amendment which stated that slavery was officially abolished in 1865. This is important to me because I am of African American decent, which means my ancestors would have been going through slavery. I believe that skin tone does not define rights. I believe even though this issue is no longer as bad as it use to be, I think it's still an issue we face today and we as a country do not want to admit it. But this amendment being passed was the first step in the right direction and it goes hand in hand with equality. No mater what sex, race or even sexual preference you have, everyone should be treated equally and have the same rights. It was a terrible moment in time when African American's were slaves and treated as anything less then human, but we have moved forward and it needs work still but it is getting much better and that is why I feel strongly towards this amendment.
    -Samone DeFreese

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  6. The 13th Amendment flushes through my life with a great deal of significance. It preposed to abolish slavery, and although the world was still infatuated with racist opinions, the 13th Amendment was the finger that flicked the first brick to set off a domino effect of equal thinking. As I grew up, learning about slavery shocked me more and more each day. I couldn’t understand how someone could be so downgraded by the color of their skin. How was this idea burned into society and why wasn’t it the other way around? My uncle is colored, and I’ve never met a kinder person. Im lavished with care whenever I see him and his family members. I can’t ponder how someone could treat him with a lesser value than me simply because of the difference in pigment in our skin. Now, my moms family is from the south, so their perspective on colored people differs from those on my dads side. I can see the discrimination of colored people, unintentionally, linger in their family simply because they were brought up with that idea planted in their head. I feel that the 13th Amendment started the process of establishing equal rights throughout every race, which enabled me to know and love the people I do today.

    -Melody Barros

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  7. All people are created equal, and genders should not be discriminated against. For this reason, I am extremely grateful for the 19th amendment because it allows me and every other woman in America to be treated as equally as men. I could not imagine a world where women are not allowed to vote, or have a well paying job because of our society today. Because of the 19th amendment, so many powerful women are standing up for what they believe in. I also could not imagine being uneducated. It used to be that only men had a good education, because their purpose in life was to be successful, while a woman was supposed to stay at home. Why shouldn’t women be able to have a vote in who should become president? Women are people, just like men, and telling them that they cannot vote is extremely unfair. The 19th amendment has made sure that women could vote, and be treated equally as men. Today, because of the effects and importance of the 19th amendment, I am allowed to go to school, I can study what I want, in order to become whom I want.

    -Molly Coleman

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  8. The amendment that I believe is the most significant is the first amendment. Being able to speak your mind, practice whatever religion you want, petition your government, and speak the truth about your government in the press, is what has made America such an incredible country. The freedom of religion is what drew many immigrants to America and made it the melting pot it is today. My ability to be able to speak my mind and criticize the government without the fear that I might be arrested for treason is very important. I am very grateful that the government can not suppress my ideas.

    -Will MacClarence

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  9. To me, the first amendment is the most important of all of them. Although the 13th, 15th and 19th amendments were important, they should have never been needed. The first amendment rights of freedom of speech, press, assembly, religion and the right to petition are the rights that the other amendments were designed to clarify that certain groups should also obtain that. The first amendment rights are the basic rights everyone was fighting for. These unique yet unbelievable rights truly signify what it is to be an American. The ability to say what I feel about anything is very powerful and for the most part not common in this world. Being able to assemble to practice religion or write a petition is a power that allows us to speak against our government and let them know what we want and the freedom of the press allows all citizens to be able to know what it is their government and elected officials are doing. It truly allows people to be involved in politics and know people they should be electing and make an educated decision come election day.

    -Luke Amero

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  10. Ever since I was young, I wanted to be an adult. I admired their great independence and the special privileges that came with being "old". Now, adulthood is still something I am excited about and it's only a few months away for me. The amendment that sticks out to me is the 26th Amendment. The 26th Amendment states that anyone eighteen and older can vote. Although this amendment has not yet effected me personally, it is still significant to my life as it is one of the great privileges I have to look forward to. Once I turn eighteen I will be able to vote, I will be able to feel like my opinion on our wonderful country is actually being heard. I know voting is often overlooked and doesn't seem like something too important to most people, but it is one of my rights as a United States citizen and I am thrilled to have it.

    - Emily Czajkowski

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  11. For me, the most significant amendment is the 1st Amendment, due to the amount of freedoms it gives everyone. The freedoms of speech, press, religion, petition, and assembly allow our society to be so different from any other country around the world. No one else in the world offered the 1st Amendment when the U.S put it in the Constitution. The first amendment is significant for me because it allows me to express my self in any form I want through my voice, writings, religion, and many other ways.

    Brooks Kiley

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  12. In my opinion the first amendment is the most significant to our lives today. Freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly and petition are all things that we take for granted now in life but need to realize that there was a time when they were not considered basic rights. There were people who had to fight, die, and work incredibly hard, just so that we could have these rights that make us who we are today. The rights that allow us to fight for what beleive in, express ourselves through press and speech, and come together with one common goal, make us who we are today and make us American.

    U.S.A - Grayson Keith

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  13. I believe the 19th Amendment is the most significant Amendment in the United States Constitution. This Amendment gave women the right to vote. I firmly believe in gender equality and it is crazy to me that in a country over 200 years old, women got the right to vote less than 100 years ago. Gaining the right to vote is what I believe was the first step in a long and unfinished process of equality among the sexes. When the Preamble of the Constitution refers to protecting the "people", it meant protecting those who could vote. When women gained the right to vote their Constitutional rights were finally being fulfilled. I can't imagine where our society would be if only 50% of the population could vote.

    -Elizabeth Hosage

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  14. In my opinion, the first amendment is the most important of them all. The first amendment is what I believes makes our country so special. It grants the citizens the freedom to express their opinions, which in many places in the world is a freedom people only dream of. The first amendment makes America the great place that it is. In most countries speaking out against your country is forbidden, and in some is punishable by death. The first amendment allows an evil organization like the KKK to assemble peacefully and voice their thoughts and opinions. While the KKK organization is obviously not one that is looked upon kindly, it is that kind of freedom that the people have that makes America the great place that it is, and it is why our country can be called the Land of the Free.
    -Alex DeChellis

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  15. In my opinion, and most likely in the minds of many other Americans, I believe that the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is the most important. This great amendment protects our most natural of rights including speech, religion, press, petition, and assembly. Without these rights, millions of American’s ideas and interests would be neglected, and the power of the federal government would become too powerful. Unlike citizens from countries such as North Korea, China, and Russia, Americans have the right to freely express their religion and simple interests. I believe this is the main reason for why the number of immigrants continues to grow today. Immigrants whose simple human rights have been taken from them look to flock to America to show their individual strength. The First Amendment has helped the United States grow to its ultimate strength today, because ordinary people, including myself have been given the right to express our interests. The First Amendment, in my eyes, is the reason for why our nation is such a wonderful place to live, and it is one that no American should overlook.

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  16. The most significant amendment to me, is the fourteenth amendment. Although the thirteenth abolishes slavery, the fourteenth acknowledges African Americans as citizens, thus giving them access to the freedoms and rights given to American citizens. If it the Constitution never accepted former slaves as citizens, they would have never been able to grasp the concept of abolition because their minds would still have been enslaved to white supremacy. The fourteenth amendment was a vital step towards racial equality in the U.S. but I think there's still a lot to be done.

    -Livi Robinson

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  17. The most influential amendment in my life is the first amendment, especially with freedom of religion. My dad and mom are two different religions, so they left it up to my three brothers and me to choose to believe in what we wanted. My oldest brother, John, became extremely christian and after graduating college, he became a Young Life leader, which is an a christian youth organization, for Arizona State University. This is how he met his wife, and he is now currently back in school to become a minister. He is the happiest he has ever been, and his entire life has formed around his religion, a path he chose to take all on his own. He has influenced my other two brothers and me, and taught us that we have the ability to do whatever we want in life, and should do what makes us happy. We have this ability because of the first amendment, showing how greatly it has impacted my family's life.

    -Mary Corcoran

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  18. The first amendment is the most powerful out of all of them. It is what separates our country from the rest. The first amendment allows us to speak freely, practice any religion we want at any time, right to peaceful assembly, freedom of the press, and right to petition. This amendment is what gives the United States its brand, or pride. The foundation for American Nationalism is built on this amendment, which I think is very important in our country. For that reason, I believe the first amendment has the most influence on me.

    Jack Lambrecht

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  19. Olivia Good

    The first amendment to the United States Constitution states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” The first Amendment of the United States Constitution is the most important Amendment. It defines what it is to be an American. Freedom of Speech, religion, press, assembly and petition allows for the American people to express individualism. This amendment grants the people the right to voice their opinions based on what they believe is right. The people can form their own personal values and abide by them as long as they are not unconstitutional. Foreign countries look to the U.S. and idolize the freedom that is given to the people. This amendment coincides with the “American Dream” and what it means to be free. The first amendment prevents any system of absolute monarchy and dictatorship to rise. United States citizens are seen as equal and no person shall be denied the rights provided to them in the first amendment.

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  20. Although I believe the first, thirteenth, and nineteenth amendments are incredibly powerful and influential pieces of the nation's history, the second amendment is most important to me. In May of last year, a student at the University of California Santa Barbra killed 6 people and wounded 13 others before ending his own life. Of these people, three were killed and eight injured by gunshot wounds. I personally knew one of the students that was critically injured in this horrific event and had many friends that were on campus at the time. The gunman was able to do so because he was unlawfully protected by the second amendment. It is clearly stated that the "right to bear arms" is reserved solely for the militia (what is now the National Guard), not the general population, yet the NRA has been funded by the top gun manufactures to keep Congress gridlocked on Gun Control. I believe this is the most important amendment in the Constitution in modern America and that its misuse is damaging our nation. It is events like the one at UCSB, Sandy Hook, and many others that are hurting this country. It is for my friend who was injured and the countless others who have died that have made the second amendment so important to me.

    -Dillon Cunningham

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  21. I strongly believe that the single most significant amendment of the U.S. constitution is the first amendment granting, freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition to each and every U.S. citizen. Without this amendment in place this country could very easily become a tyranny. The first amendment allows citizens to express their own opinion freely. Without opinions there wouldn't ever be any dispute. Debates and opinion based arguments are what make the world go round. Being able to freely express my own opinion is what makes me who I am today.

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  22. The 1st amendment is the most significant in my life today. In the world we live in many controversial things are occurring. Without the first amendment, our way of dealing with these scenarios would probably be based on the thoughts of people in our government. As these people may be wise and intelligent, their views could also be biased or narrow minded. With a nation as free and as open as it is, we are stronger and smarter. Different opinions are valued instead of being shut out. Meaningful words can contain great power and can change the thoughts of many people, no matter who is saying it. The fact that we can speak out to a specific cause and possibly change someone’s perspective, without violating any rules or being harmed, is a freedom that many of us Americans take for granted. We need to inspire with words, pushing the boundaries and thinking outside the box to make a difference in the lives of others.

    -Koko

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  23. As a woman, the 19th amendment is very important to my freedoms. The 19th amendment prohibits any US citizen to be denied the right to vote based on gender. After the women’s suffrage movement, with the help of people like Alice Paul, women finally gained the right to vote in 1920. Because of the 19th amendment, I can vote, become educated, and decide for myself what I want to do in the future. It should not matter what gender you are to have these basic rights. If it had not been for the 19th amendment, we would not have been able to progress in society the way we have with different leaders. Gender equality is still being fought, however, as evident in the speech Emma Watson recently gave. There is still a huge pay gap between men and women, for instance. There are always more ways we can improve gender equality.

    -Alyssa Cass

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  25. The amendment that has truly reached to me would have to be 1st amendment. not only a person but an individual that is blessed with certain rights i know people in other parts of world do not have the luxury of practicing the rights of freedom, speech, religion, press, and petition. These rights are so important to us because they're the defining blocks of our nation, what is crucial to us is that our voice is always a free one and the importance of that goes past the scope of race, sexual orientation, and religious beliefs.

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  26. The 1st Amendment of the United States constitution is important to me, as an international student because it allows me to have multiple benefits within the US. Arriving in the United States of America, for the first time alone, is very daunting let me assure you,; but now, after learning about the constitution, I understand the Land of the Free. As a foreigner to the US, I am able to speak my mind, choose my religion, participate in a petition, express my opinion in the press and join an assembly and this is very important. If we were to compare this freedom to the freedom they have in other countries, similar to what we have just read, I am Malala, then it is a privilege to have this, even in the constitution. In my perception, the first amendment defines the United States of America and from past experiences, Americans believe that too, which is why I think this is the most important amendment.

    - Jack Harrison

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  27. At this point in my life, I would say the 26th amendment is the most important to me. The 26th amendment changed the minimum voting age to 18 years old. Now that I am above that age I was finally able to take part in my first voting experience earlier this year. I find this cool because I was actually able to voice my opinion on who is in control of this country. I am able to have an effect on the leadership of this country despite how insignificant one vote is. but even more importantly, I am finally able to carry out my civil duty as a citizen of the United States.

    Joel Mayo

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  28. As we all learned the amendments, I quickly realized which one would be of utmost importance to me: the 9th amendment. This is what makes The United States unique and amazing. The idea that the people not only have rights that are protected by the constitution, but there are rights not included yet the constitution says that we should still honor them. I find this important to not only the individual but also US citizens as a whole because without this amendment, the only rights that would be acknowledged would be those amendments that are in the constitution.


    -Kay Humes

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  29. Along with the 13th amendment, the 19th amendment is very significant to me. No human should be denied the right to vote because of their gender. Women, even to this day, face gender inequality but this was definitely a major stepping stone in achieving equality. The right to vote is a basic human right that should not be denied because of race or gender. I cannot imagine myself or other women in my life not having a political opinion just we were all females. Everyone, male and female, deserves to vote and this amendment made that possible.

    Kristalyn Baisden

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  30. The 15 amendment was Passed by Congress on the 26th February 1869 and Ratified on the 3rd February 1870.The 15 amendment is divided into two sections
    Section 1: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
    Section 2: The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
    The 15 amendment was the third and final of the "Civil War Amendments," the Fifteenth Amendment sought to guarantee that former slaves would retain the right to vote by banning state suffrage laws that discriminated against any group of citizens on the basis of race. In practice, the amendment didn't work very well; by the 1880s, most southern states had figured out ways to prevent blacks from voting using laws that did not explicitly use race as the standard for disfranchisement. Most black citizens in the South only regained the right to vote, in practice, in the 1960s.This is one if not the most significant of all the amendments because It was the first step to real democracy in the united states . It gave black, both former slaves and free blacks the right to vote. The Civil War was now over, the slaves had been freed, but southern states had circumvented the right to vote. This was done through what is called grandfather clauses, literacy test and poll taxes. This was a way to end this. Even when the 15th amendment added, African Americans still had problems voting in the south. This was the impetus to the Civil Rights Movement of the late 1950s and early 1960s led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As a side note, women would not have the right to vote until the 19th Amendment was passed in 1920. The 15th amendment was a stepping stone to the end of all ethnocentric beliefs that had been written in the constitution.

    another kushaina

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  31. Eliza Griffin
    September 25, 2014

    The 19th Amendment that gives women the right to vote in the federal election is important to me, because without this right women would not have a voice in politic, and in everyday life. If this amendment was not passed, 50 percent of the world’s population would not have a their opinions represented, in the government. If women did not have the right to vote, they would not be able to have the opportunity for jobs and for education. By pushing for women’s right to vote, the female population is able to attend school, and hold high power jobs, as they might not have had if not granted with the right. In two years from now I will be 18, and will be eligible to vote in my first Presidential election. I will finally be a young woman, an adult. Without this law being passed, I will not have have this opportunity, for my voice to be considered. When I graduate from college in 2020, 100 years will have had passed since the 19th Amendment was signed. As a result of the law, I will be able to choose the path for my future, instead of having my life planed out for me.

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  32. The Fourth Amendment says that the people have a right “to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures,” and that “no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause.” This amendment means a lot to me, because it means that I cannot be searched unless there is probable cause that I have done or are in possession of something illegal. It also means that no one can legally take my house, papers, family, or other material things from me without a reason. This amendment allows me to feel safe from my government. I don’t have to worry about a cop pulling me over, or the police searching my house without a reason and warrant to do so. However, I can be sure that the police can collect evidence for case by getting a search warrant. This amendment was definitely necessary, and to me, one of the most important.

    -Sarah Kinney

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  33. I think the 9th amendment is very important in the way it gives us our rights that we don't think about firsthand. This includes right to property, right to life, education, or privacy along with may others. Among these, the most I can identify with is the right to education because sometimes I can have the tendency to take it for granted. This one is important to me because I know not everyone has access to education or is even allowed to have an education because it is frowned upon in some societies. The 9th is what sets this country apart from others along with the 1st amendment in that we have basic rights that some do not have the freedom to express. -Anna Flaherty

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  34. The amendments in the US Constitution each hold a vital role in the citizenship of the United States. The amendments explain our rights and duties, which allow for the protection of our natural rights: life, liberty, and property. Of the 27 amendments, I believe that the most significant is the 13th. The 13th amendments bans the institution of slavery. This amendment was ratified in 1865, following the Civil War. The willingness of the southern states to reenter the union with the ratification of this amendment signifies the unity and strength of the United States. Furthermore, this amendment ended the morally wrong views that people were property. The ideology that owning salves is ethical, is one of the utmost humiliations to mankind. This amendment did not put an immediate end to racial discrimination; however, it pushed for an eventual understanding of the equality between races. The 13th amendment put an end to the inhuman discrimination and treatment of slaves in the United States; thus, I believe it is the most significant.

    -Molly Crabtree

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  35. As we went through and learn the Amendments of the Constitution, I realized that the most significant amendment to me is nineteenth amendment. The nineteenth amendment states the women have the right to vote. This is important to me because it shows that the United States, is trying to get rid of bias' and racism. Being almost 18, this amendment now gives me the freedom to vote for whoever I feel should be representing the people.

    - Haleigh

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  36. The First Amendment is the most important to me because it is one of the utmost defining features of the United States of America. America is known for its freedom of speech. It allows us to say whatever we want, pray or worship whoever god we want, lets the press have the freedom to report anything, lets anyone assemble anywhere and lets anyone petition against the government. These five freedoms are ways for the people to have more power in their life and lead their lives the way they want to. That is why its the most important to me.

    -Ben Lang

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  37. The Amendment that I believe is the most important to me is the Fourth Amendment. The Fourth Amendment is the Search and Seizure Amendment and was ratified on December 15, 1791. In this amendment, it states “The right of people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects. The Fourth Amendment is important to me because I strongly believe that everyone should feel sense of security when they are out anywhere and especially in their own houses. Even though I am not a citizen of the United States, I am glad that when I am here for school I am not subject to unreasonable searches unless deemed reasonable by a reasonable man (non-law enforcement). This also goes for any of my personal items as well as my person. This amendment is great to me because it really protects the person rights of all people in/of the United States.

    -Justin Donawa

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  38. While learning the amendments of the United States Constitution I found that the nineteenth amendment is most significant to me. I believe that this amendment has affected my life, the life of my family members who are women and it has even affected men all over the country. The 19th amendment prohibits any United States citizen from being denied the right to vote based on their sex. My life would be drastically different if my mother and grandmother weren’t able to vote and play a role in the society. As I grow up I am taught that women can do just as much as what men can. If this amendment was not passed I can’t imagine the different type of childhood I would have experienced if the women around me were not allowed to voice their opinions.

    Ione Bartlett

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