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13th Amendment Research Paper

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It should be noted that certain portions of the Constitution are frequently ignored. For example, during the reading of the Constitution in Congress in 2011, the parts referring to slavery and the Three-Fifths Compromise were left out of the reading, as they are most considered null and void due to post-Civil War amendments (Purple). Some mentions of Indian populations in regards to trade were also taken out, as ‘Indian tribes’ are no longer considered their own entities apart from the United States (ibid). Reversal amendments can also be made to the Constitution, such as the 21st Amendment, nullifying the Prohibition related 18th Amendment (National Archives). While these Amendments are still considered part of the Constitution, their effects …show more content…
Before grammar rules were standardized, most people, even Founding Fathers, did not prescribe to what we today would call ‘good grammar’. Even John Adams, easily one of the most educated Founders, frequently misspelled words (White). The placing of the commas is just enough to cause dissent between those who believe in increased gun control and those who believe in the right for all citizens to bear arms. In the United States, this has become a major issue. With the increase of mass shootings such as the ones at Columbine, Virginia Tech, and Sandy Hook, many people have started questioning the intent of the Second Amendment, and whether or not all citizens should have the right to bear arms. Of course, there is a correlation between the party system, with left-leaning Democrats advocating for more gun control while right-leaning Republicans arguing against gun control laws. The Republican side is prone to bring up the wishes of the Founders, especially in matters specifically stated in the Constitution such as this one (notably leaving out the fact that one of the founders, Alexander Hamilton, famously died in a pistol duel with Vice President …show more content…
In a document written two hundred and fifty years ago, the Founders could not have foreseen what the United States has become: an economic powerhouse, a leader on the world stage, and a country attempting to extend liberty and equality to all. The document standing in the way of this equality is the Constitution, an outdated document with outdated values and ideals that cannot possibly be entirely relevant to today’s culture. While it would be impossible to radically change the current Constitution, or even draft a new one, the United States cannot rely on every word that the Constitution puts forth. It keeps the United States from becoming that utopia of equality, and ensures bipartisan arguing, a facet of American history that we have never been able to escape. To stop this from happening, one must look at the Constitution as a living document, one that undergoes societal change with the

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