Constitution Day - Failed Amendments to the Constitution

Number of bills proposing constitutional amendments that have been introduced in Congress - more than 5,000

Number of proposed amendments that Congress has sent to the states for approval - 34

Number of amendments approved and added to the Constitution - 27.


The seven rejected amendments would have:

  • Increased membership of the House of Representatives (1789),
  • Required the approval of two consecutive congresses before legislators could increase their own pay (1789),
  • Denied citizenship to Americans who accepted foreign titles of nobility (1811),
  • Banned future amendments allowing congress to interfere with “states’ rights” (1861),
  • Given congress power to regulate child labor (1924),
  • Guaranteed legal equality to women (1972),
  • Granted the District of Colombia representation in Congress (1978).