Britannica
Sources used in this answer
- Constitution of the United States of America - List of amendments to the U.S. Constitution
- Amendment
- list of amendments to the U.S. Constitution
- Constitution of the United States of America - The Constitution as a living document
- What is a constitutional amendment?
- United States - Constitutional framework
How many amendments have been added to the U.S. Constitution?
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A total of 27 amendments have been added to the U.S. Constitution since it entered into force in 1789.123
The first 10 amendments, which were adopted in 1791, are collectively known as the Bill of Rights. The subsequent 17 amendments have addressed a wide range of issues, including the abolition of slavery, the expansion of voting rights, and the procedures for presidential succession.1245
Under Article V of the Constitution, the process for adding an amendment requires a proposal by a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress (or by a national convention called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures) and ratification by three-fourths of the states.14