THE LIVING

CONSTITUTION

Constitutional Flexibility

CONSTITUTIONAL

FLEXIBIITY

“The real test of any constitution is the way it serves its own

people. As historical conditions change, so do the needs of a nation.

A workable constitution must be able to adjust to these changing

needs as they arise, to renew itself without violence and upheaval.”

W H AT W O U L D T H E S I G N E R S O F T H E

C O N S T I T U T I O N T H I N K A B O U T H O W I T H A S

P E R F O R M E D ?

THE CIVIL WAR

The Civil War was a long, violent argument over how to resolve the

slavery issue, and how the Constitution should be interpreted or

changed.

SLAVES AND F. DOUGLASS

SUFFRAGIST C. 1916

JAPANESE INTERNMENT

RO N A L D R E G A N S I G N S C I V I L L I B E R T I E S

AC T G R A N T I N G R E PA R AT I O N S

H OW D O E S T H E C O N S T I T U T I O N

C H A N G E ?

SPORTS ANALOGY TIME

THE CONSTITUTION

CONGRESS AND

PRESIDENT

THE SU P REM E COU RT: DECIDES

CONSTITU TIONAL ITY

REVERSALS

PLESSY V. FERGUSON

BROWN V. BOARD OF

EDUCATION

LIVING CONSTITUTION

“The real test of any constitution is the way it serves

its own people. As historical conditions change, so

do the needs of a nation. A workable constitution

must be able to adjust to these changing needs as

they arise…”

THINK ABOUT IT…

If the Constitution couldn’t change, would it still be the

great basis for governing society?