What is the difference between a constitutional amendment and a regular law, and how is an amendment added to the Constitution?

• A. An amendment alters the Constitution; it requires proposal by two-thirds of Congress or a national convention, and ratification by three-fourths of the states.
• B. An amendment is a regular law passed by simple majority.
• C. Amendments do not require ratification by states.
• D. Amendments can be proposed by the President alone.

Answer: (C)

Amendments change the Constitution itself, not ordinary statutes. Because the Constitution is the framework that everything else operates within, altering it is deliberately difficult to ensure broad, nationwide agreement across states.

To add an amendment, two-thirds of both houses of Congress must agree to propose it, or a national convention must be called by two-thirds of the state legislatures. Once proposed, three-fourths of the states must ratify the amendment, either through their legislatures or via state conventions, depending on the chosen path.

Regular laws, by contrast, are statutes enacted by Congress (or by state legislatures) and can be passed or repealed by majority votes, often with presidential action as part of the process. They do not require ratification by the states and do not alter the Constitution itself.

So the correct understanding is that an amendment requires a two-thirds proposal and a three-fourths ratification across the states, distinguishing it from ordinary laws.