Constitutional change in the USA

The activities of the second Trump Administration in 2025 may prompt a reinterpretation of the United States Constitution, especially concerning the separation of powers among the federal government's executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Over the 249 years since the nation was founded in 1776, three significant prior periods of change led to alterations in the Constitution and its interpretation by the Supreme Court.

• Ratification of the Constitution (1787-1788): This was a foundational moment when the U.S. Constitution was drafted and ratified, replacing the Articles of Confederation and establishing a new framework for the federal government.

• Civil War and Reconstruction (1861-1877): The Civil War led to the passage of three amendments, fundamentally changing the Constitution and its interpretation.

  • 13th Amendment - abolishing slavery

  • 14th Amendment - granting citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S. and guaranteeing equal protection under the law

  • 15th Amendment - protecting voting rights regardless of race.

• Progressive Era and the New Deal (1890s -1930s): During this period, significant amendments to the Constitution were enacted, including:

  • 16th Amendment - which permits the federal income tax

  • 17th Amendment - establishing the direct election of Senators

  • 18th Amendment - prohibited alcohol until it was repealed

  • 19th Amendment - granted women the right to vote.

Additionally, some of the New Deal programs President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced were challenged. They resulted in the Supreme Court's broader interpretation of federal powers under the Constitution's Commerce Clause.

Each of these periods of change significantly transformed the political and legal landscape of the United States of America.

NOTE: Drafted by H. Pike Oliver with the assistance of Microsft Copilot.