US and Arizona Constitution Teacher Practice Test 2026 – Complete Exam Prep

A proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution must be passed by a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress and then ratified by three-fourths of the states. This rigorous process is designed to ensure that any amendments have widespread support across the political spectrum and among the states, reflecting a strong consensus. The need for supermajorities in Congress and the high threshold for state ratification helps safeguard the foundational principles of the Constitution, making it difficult to change and ensuring that amendments have enduring significance.

In particular, the requirement for three-fourths of the states to ratify an amendment highlights the balance of power between the federal government and the states, ensuring that changes to the Constitution reflect not just the will of Congress but also the preferences of a significant portion of the states. This structure reinforces the idea of federalism inherent in the Constitution itself.