Did you know there are 27 amendments to the Constitution?

Okay y’all, let’s talk about the Constitution without putting anyone to sleep. Think of the Constitution like America’s official rulebook for government. It was written way back in 1787 (yes, when people were still riding horses instead of driving Teslas). But here’s the tea: the Founding Fathers were smart enough to know times change, so they built in a way to update the rulebook. That update button is called an amendment, and it’s how America keeps itself fresh.

For example, the president’s term originally, in Article II of the Constitution, a president’s job lasted four years, and there was no limit on how many times they could be re-elected. Later entered the 22nd Amendment in 1951, which put a two-term limit on the presidency. That means a president can serve a maximum of eight years. If someone steps in as president and serves more than two years of another president’s term, they can only run for election once more.

Yes, the Constitution can be changed — that’s what amendments are for. The process isn’t easy, and it wasn’t meant to be. First, Congress has to propose the amendment, with two-thirds agreement. Then the states vote, and three-fourths must say yes. That’s how we make sure the rulebook isn’t changed every Tuesday.

As of today, there are 27 amendments. The first 10 are called the Bill of Rights, and they protect freedoms like speech, religion, and the right to a fair trial. The other 17 cover things like ending slavery with the 13th Amendment, giving women the right to vote with the 19th, lowering the voting age to 18 with the 26th, and limiting the president to two terms with the 22nd.

I knew about these but I didn’t connect the dots until now that they were amendments. The Constitution isn’t just an old piece of paper in a museum — it’s the foundation of our rights and government. Knowing how it works gives you power. 

So next time someone acts like you can’t understand politics, just say, “Actually, the president only gets two terms max, because there was a 22nd Amendment in 1951. Boom. Educated and fabulous.” Knowledge is cute, but confidence with knowledge? That’s unstoppable.