2012 Event U.S. Governor of Colorado, John Hickenlooper, emboldened by the passage of a voter-approved amendment to the state constitution last month, declared marijuana legal for recreational use 2012 Event The U.S. House of Representatives votes to end the Jackson-Vanik amendment from 1974, which was intended to effect U.S. trade relations with Communist countries 1995 Event Amendment to make it illegal to physically desecrate the flag turned down by senate 63-36 (need 2/3 vote) 1995 Event Mississippi House of Representatives formally abolishes slavery and ratifies 13th Amendment 1994 Event Senate rejectes a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution 1992 Event 27th Amendment ratified, prohibits Congress from raising its salary 1992 Event Constitutional amendment barring mid-term congressional raises passes 1984 Event Senate rejects amendment to permit spoken prayer in public schools 1982 Event Federal Equal Rights Amendment fails 3 states short of ratification 1982 Event Equal Rights Amendment goes down to defeat 1972 Event Congress approves Equal Rights Amendment (never ratified) 1971 Event 26th amendment certified, reduces voting age to 18 1971 Event Ohio becomes 38th state to approve of lower voting age to 18, thus ratifying 26th amendment 1971 Event Senate approves amendment lowering voting age to 18 1970 Event President Nixon signs 26th amendment, voting age lowered to 18 1967 Event 25th amendment (presidential succession) declared ratified 1967 Event 25th Amendment (Presidential Disability and Succession) in effect 1964 Event Amendment 24 outlaws poll tax 1964 Event 24th Amendment to U.S. Constitution goes into effect and states voting rights could not be denied due to failure to pay taxes 1964 Event 24th Amendment ratified, barring poll tax in federal elections 1961 Event 23rd Amendment ratified, allows Washington D.C. residents to vote for president 1954 Event Amendment to give 18-year-olds right to vote is defeated 1953 Event Ike promises to fire as Red any federal worker taking 5th amendment 1951 Event 22nd amendment ratified, limiting president to 2 terms 1951 Event 22nd amendment to Constitution is ratified 1933 Event 21st Am ratified, 18th Amendment, Prohibition, repealed 1933 Event 20th Amendment goes into effect: President term begins in Jan not March 1933 Event 20th amendment changes date of presidential inaugurations to 1/20 1920 Event 19th amendment passes - women's suffrage granted 1920 Event Tennessee ratifies 19th Amendment, guarantees women voting right 1920 Event 19th amendment acknowledges women's rights 1920 Event 18th Amendment, prohibition, goes into effect; repealed in 1933 1919 Event Secretary of state proclaims 18th amendment, prohibition 1918 Event House of Representatives passes amendment allowing women to vote 1918 Event Mississippi becomes 1st state to ratify 18th amendment (prohibition) 1913 Event 17th amendment (direct election of senators) declared ratified 1913 Event 17th amendment provides for election of senators by popular vote 1913 Event 17th amendment, requiring direct election of senators, ratified 1913 Event Federal income tax takes effect, 16th amendment 1913 Event 16th Amendment ratified, authorizing income tax 1913 Event 16th Amendment, federal income tax, ratified 1909 Event 16th Amendment approved, power to tax incomes 1870 Event 15th Amendment passes, guarantees right to vote regardless of race 1870 Event 15th Amendment (Black suffrage) passed 1870 Event After accepting 15th amendment, Virginia is readmitted to Union 1869 Event 15th Amendment guaranteeing right to vote sent to states 1868 Event 14th Amendment ratified, grants citizenship to ex-slaves 1866 Event Tennessee is 1st to ratify 14th Amendment, guaranteeing civil rights 1866 Event House passes 14th Amendment (Civil rights for blacks) 1866 Event President Johnson vetoes civil rights bill; it later becomes 14th amendment 1865 Event 13th Amendment ratified, slavery abolished 1865 Event 13th Amendment is ratified, abolishing slavery 1865 Event 13th amendment approved (National Freedom Day) 1865 Event Congress passes 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery in America (121-24) 1818 Event Senate ratifies Rush-Bagot amendment (unarmed US-Canada border) 1804 Event 12th amendment to U.S. constitution, regulating judicial power 1804 Event 12th amendment ratified; deals with manner of choosing president 1798 Event 11th Amendment ratified, judicial powers construed 1795 Event 11th Amendment to U.S. Constitution ratified, affirms power of states 1746 Death John Peter Zenger, journalist, involved in 1st amendment fight, dies
