Major Two: Amending the Amendments - Analysis and

Advocacy for Change

Published Assign To Edit

Why do this?

As we have learned and will continue to explore, the US Constitution has a significant impact on all of

us in various ways. As students, you have the right to express your opinions without fear of school

censorship (Tinker v. Des Moines). Schools must have a valid reason to search your property,

belongings, and room (New Jersey v. T.L.O.). Furthermore, schools cannot compel you to pray in

classrooms (Engel v. Vitale) or segregate based on race or other factors (Brown v. Board).

As young adults, decisions made by the Supreme Court can significantly impact various aspects of

your lives. These include your freedom of speech and association, right to privacy, access to fair

judicial procedures, freedom to marry and love whom you choose, as well as workplace and

consumer safety, among others.

One step on our learning journey is to research one amendment, offer up analysis and background

history, and then argue for change. This change could be an entire rewrite or the deletion of one

word (and everything in between). You cannot simply argue for the removal of the amendment; you

must provide a rewrite of some sort.

Your paper must address the following

Identify a constitutional amendment that you would like to amend;

Offer a summary of the amendment, including when it was ratified, the principal authors, and the

original intent of the amendment from the authors’ perspective (in other words, what is the

problem the amendment is trying to solve);

Your reasons/arguments for changing the amendment, which may include providing context and

impact of the amendment in today’s world;

And an actual rewrite of the amendment.

Note: Treat this as a "normal" history essay, meaning you must have an introduction and

conclusion, with your thesis as the last sentence of the introduction paragraph. The above is NOT

an outline.

https://canvas.andover.edu/courses/23224/assignments/353212

Page 1 of 5Major Two: Amending the Amendments - Analysis and Advocacy for Change

8/11/25, 8:01 AM

Requirements

750 to 1000 words (the rewritten amendment DOES NOT count toward the word requirement, nor

does any footnotes)

Chicago style footnotes

At least one reference source, one journal source, and one book (plus the primary source of the

US Constitution)

NO USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Must be submitted as MS Doc or Google Doc - NO PDFs please

From DWG #1: "Basic Format: All written work in my class should be in Times New Roman, size

12 font, with 1-inch margins and NO spaces in between paragraphs. Unless specified otherwise,

essay text is double-spaced, and footnotes are single-spaced. Make sure to include your name,

my name, the date, the period you’re in, and the word count (not including footnotes and bib), all

single-spaced in the upper left corner

SUPER DUPER NOTE: As per my stated policy, not meeting the minimum requirements could

result in an automatic three (with an option to rewrite for a four).

You may only submit one file

Order of Paper

Your Essay

On a separate page, your rewritten amendment. Ensure you highlight your changes OR supply

the original at the top and the rewrite at the bottom.

On a separate page, your bibliography in the Chicago Manual of Style format

Submit this all as ONE file

Sources that May Be Of Use

OWHL 300 Guides, under “Research Starters,” then “Constitution Essay

(https://owhlguides.andover.edu/hss300/constitution) .”

Try searching "Original debates surrounding X amendment," and see what comes up. Be careful

though to only use original debates and not modern ones.

Historical Newspapers, which provide contemporary opinions of the amendment. ProQuest

historical newspapers via OWHL is a great place to start.

JSTOR

Google Scholar

Constitution Annotated - https://constitution.congress.gov

https://canvas.andover.edu/courses/23224/assignments/353212

Page 2 of 5Major Two: Amending the Amendments - Analysis and Advocacy for Change

8/11/25, 8:01 AM

(https://constitution.congress.gov/)

First 12 Amendments with Commentary

(https://canvas.andover.edu/courses/23224/files/2984081?wrap=1)

(https://canvas.andover.edu/courses/23224/files/2984081/download?download_frd=1)

National Constitution Center - https://constitutioncenter.org (https://constitutioncenter.org/)

Google “Who wrote the X amendment.” Find sources from there.

Encyclopedia of the American Presidency via Credo Reference

Some podcasts that may help (https://canvas.andover.edu/courses/23224/pages/podcasts)

Remember, assignments are due before your class period.

RUBRICS: Essay Grading System (https://canvas.andover.edu/courses/23224/files/2991113?wrap=1)

(https://canvas.andover.edu/courses/23224/files/2991113/download?download_frd=1) and Rubric

(https://canvas.andover.edu/courses/23224/files/2991114?wrap=1)

(https://canvas.andover.edu/courses/23224/files/2991114/download?download_frd=1)

Points

150

Submitting

a file upload

File Types

doc and docx

Allowed Attempts

1

Due For Available from Until

- Everyone - -

Denby New Jones Rubric

https://canvas.andover.edu/courses/23224/assignments/353212

Page 3 of 5Major Two: Amending the Amendments - Analysis and Advocacy for Change

Criteria Ratings Argument

The essay advances a clear

argument, an interpretive

answer to a specific historical

question, communicated early

in the piece.

4 pts

Exemplary

3 pts

Accomplished

2 pts

Developing

Evidence

The essay employs specific

historical evidence, preferably

primary source evidence, that

supports the essay's main

argument. These pieces of

evidence are detailed,

immersive, and numerous.

4 pts

Full

Marks

3 pts

Accomplished

2 pts

Developing

Organization

Major ideas in the paper are

discretely discussed in

paragraphs, each unified and

coherent in their exposition.

The order and quality of the

paragraphs logically advance

the narrative and argument.

Outstanding paragraphs begin

with a specific topic sentence

and contain sentences of

variable structure and

cadence.

4 pts

Exemplary

3 pts

Accomplished

2 pts

Developing

https://canvas.andover.edu/courses/23224/assignments/353212

1 pts

Initiate

1 pts

Initiate

1 pts

Initiate

8/11/25, 8:01 AM

Pts

0 pts

No

Marks

4 pts

0 pts

No

Marks

4 pts

0 pts

No

Marks

4 pts

Page 4 of 5Major Two: Amending the Amendments - Analysis and Advocacy for Change

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Language

Sentences use detailed,

precise, original language.

Active verbs are used to avoid

the passive voice and the

majority of verbs are in the

past tense. The writing is

notable for its clarity.

4 pts

Exemplary

3 pts

Accomplished

2 pts

Developing

1 pts

Intiate

0 pts

No

Marks

4 pts

Total Poi