How can an amendment be added to the Constitution?

• A. Propose by two-thirds of both houses or a national convention; ratification by three-fourths of the states.
• B. Propose by simple majority in Congress and ratified by simple majority of states.
• C. Presidential decree.
• D. A Supreme Court ruling.

Answer: (B)

The test is asking how an amendment becomes part of the Constitution, and the key idea is that changes must go through a formal, high-consensus process. An amendment must be proposed with broad support—either by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or by a national convention called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures. After that proposal, it must be ratified by three-fourths of the states, and this ratification can come either through state legislatures or through state conventions. This two-step process—proposal at the federal level with supermajorities, followed by ratification by the states at a supermajority level—ensures any amendment has widespread agreement across both the national and state levels.

Why this is the best answer: it matches the established method for constitutional change, requiring more than a simple majority and involving both national and state participation, which protects the document from easy or abrupt alterations.

Why the other ideas don’t fit: a path based on simple majorities would allow frequent, narrow shifts without broad backing, undermining stability and federal balance. A presidential decree would bypass the constitutional process entirely, and a Supreme Court ruling can interpret the Constitution but cannot formally amend its text or trigger the amendment process.