National Archives and Law Library of Congress Proposed Amendments Edit-a-Thon Information
Join the
National Archives and Records Administration and the
Law Library of Congress for the first in a series of a workshop and an edit-a-thon focused on improving Wikipedia entries related to proposed Constitutional amendments based on National Archives and Law Library of Congress records. Activities included new editor orientation and training and a presentation from National Archives staff. Coffee and lunch will be generously provided courtesy of
Wikimedia D.C.. This event is part of the
Amending America initiative at the National Archives in commemoration of the 225th anniversary of the Bill of Rights.
When
Friday, July 29, 2016
10:00am - 5:00pm
Who
No advanced technical skills required! All members of the public, Library of Congress, and NARA staff, whether Wikipedians or not, are welcome to join.
What to bring
Photo ID
Laptop (limited number can be loaned if needed)
Where
To access NARA's Innovation Hub, please use the National Archives Building's entrance at Pennsylvania Avenue. This is the research/staff entrance, not the main exhibits/events door.
Laptop & photo ID. The Archives has a limited number of loaner laptops you may utilize during the edit-a-thon, and they are first-come, first-served.
May I take photographs?
You're welcome to bring your own camera or non-feeder scanner.
Do I need a research card?
You will not be required to obtain a research card to attend the event, but researcher registration is right outside the room, and this is a great opportunity to get one!
We will also be broadcasting the first part of the day on a Google Hangout (we'll break for the exhibit tour). Join
part one here and
part two here. During the editing if you have questions, log in to the chat below or ask them to innovationhub@nara.gov
Can't make it to the event? You can participate online! Here's how it works:
On the day of the event, check in with your Wikipedia username. Don't have a username yet? It's easy to
create one.
Choose an article to edit from the list on this page. Want to work on an article that's not on the list? You're welcome to choose any topic you like!
Have questions during the event? Chat with us! Some events also include a video or audio conference. You can find more details on this page.
NARA Record: Letter from the Polish American Congress in Support of a Constitutional Amendment to Make English the Official Language of the United States, 02/06/1984 (
NAID 26283956)
Plural marriage amendment - No page exists only
Reynolds v. United States or
Polygamy, neither mention the drive for a constitutional amendment. The drive mostly came during Utah’s bid for statehood. There was also a push at the time for the federal government to regulate marriage and divorce (because of the fear of polygamy from Utah).
NARA Record: Defense of Plural Marriage by the Women of Utah County, 1878 (
NAID 24747004)
NARA Record: Petition for a Constitutional Amendment to Expel Members of Congress who are Absent for More than 40 Percent of Roll Call Votes, ca 1971 (
NAID 26283957)
Richard A. Davis, CRS Report for Congress: Proposed Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America Introduced in Congress From the 91st Congress, 1st Session, Through the 98th Congress, 2nd Session, January 1969-December 1984, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, February 1, 1985.
(Primary) Margaret Chase Smith Proposed Constitutional Amendment Summary, December 20, 1971; Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee/ Constitutional Amendments (SEN14A-604; 92 nd Congress; Records of the U.S. Senate, RG 46; National Archives, Washington, DC
The Documentary History of the First Federal Congress of the United States of America, March 4, 1789-March 3, 1791: Vol. 1. Senate Legislative Journal. Linda Grant De Pauw, Editor. Charlene Bangs Bickford and LaVonne Marlene Siegel, Assistant Editors. (The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 1972)
“Additional Articles of Amendment, September 7, 1789; Creating the Bill of Rights: The Documentary Record from the First Federal Congress.” Pg. 41-42.
School Prayer Amendment - Contains little info prior to 1997, so this is a great candidate. This was one of the most introduced amendment in the 60s and 70s.
NARA Record: Letter from the Central Christian Church of Fort Lauderdale in Favor of the School Prayer Constitutional Amendment, 06/11/1964 (
NAID 24824307)
Letter from the Alabama Baptist State Convention Opposed to a School Prayer Constitutional Amendment, 05/08/1964 (
NAID 24824310)
NARA Record: House Joint Resolution (H.J. Res.) 159, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution to Extend the Right to Vote to Widows and Spinsters who are Property Holders, 04/30/1888 (
NAID 25466157)
NARA Record: Petition for Universal Suffrage which Asks for an Amendment to the Constitution that Shall Prohibit the Several States from Disenfranchising Any of Their Citizens on the Ground of Sex, 1865 (
NAID 26081744)
Declaration of war by the United States - Could add section on constitutional amendments. This was as a result of American Isolationism and could be too narrow of an issue to be noted in the article.
NARA Record: Petition for a Constitutional Amendment to Hold National Referendums on Declarations of War from Danville, Ohio, 1938 (
NAID 24200391)
Christian amendment - Seems pretty extensive but this was one of the most introduced amendments so maybe there is something there.
NARA Record: Petition from the Congregation of the United Presbyterian Church from Sebring, Ohio to Amend the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution, 02/15/1923
(NAID 24200385)
NARA Record: Letter from the Polish American Congress in Support of a Constitutional Amendment to Make English the Official Language of the United States, 02/06/1984 (
NAID 26283956)
Human Life Amendment - Covers all pro-life amendments, but roughly half of the amendments introduced during this time period were pro-choice and there doesn’t seem to be anything about them in Wikipedia.
NARA Record: Letter to Senator Birch Bayh Regarding Congressional Hearings on Constitutional Amendments on Abortion from Senator James Buckley, 01/29/1974 (
NAID 26283954)
Duel - Could edit the section on dueling in Colonial North America/United States.
NARA Record: H.R. 8, Proposing an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to Prohibit any Person who was Involved in a Duel from Holding Public Federal Office, 03/05/1838 (
NAID 25466015)
Three-Fifths Compromise - Could be edited to include background about this proposed amendment, but it’s a narrow idea.
NARA Record: Petition from Citizens of Ashtabula County, Ohio for a Constitutional Amendment that Representation in Congress be Uniform throughout the Country, ca 1844 (
NAID 25466018)
“Electoral College Reform,” in John R. Vile, Encyclopedia of Constitutional Amendments, Proposed Amendments, and Amending Issues 1789-2010.
Thomas Abernethy - Proposed several amendments, including amendments relating to school prayer and election of the President and Vice President, none of which are mentioned in the article.
Olin E. Teague - Proposed several amendments, including amendments relating to term limits, reconfirmation, and other amendments pertaining to Federal judges and Supreme Court Justices. None of these proposed amendments are mentioned in the article.
Andrew Jacobs, Jr. - Co-authored Voting Rights Act and proposed several amendments, including amendments relating to balancing the budget, prayer in public buildings, and many others. None of the amendments are mentioned in the article.
National Archives and Law Library of Congress Proposed Amendments Edit-a-Thon Information
Join the
National Archives and Records Administration and the
Law Library of Congress for the first in a series of a workshop and an edit-a-thon focused on improving Wikipedia entries related to proposed Constitutional amendments based on National Archives and Law Library of Congress records. Activities included new editor orientation and training and a presentation from National Archives staff. Coffee and lunch will be generously provided courtesy of
Wikimedia D.C.. This event is part of the
Amending America initiative at the National Archives in commemoration of the 225th anniversary of the Bill of Rights.
When
Friday, July 29, 2016
10:00am - 5:00pm
Who
No advanced technical skills required! All members of the public, Library of Congress, and NARA staff, whether Wikipedians or not, are welcome to join.
What to bring
Photo ID
Laptop (limited number can be loaned if needed)
Where
To access NARA's Innovation Hub, please use the National Archives Building's entrance at Pennsylvania Avenue. This is the research/staff entrance, not the main exhibits/events door.
Laptop & photo ID. The Archives has a limited number of loaner laptops you may utilize during the edit-a-thon, and they are first-come, first-served.
May I take photographs?
You're welcome to bring your own camera or non-feeder scanner.
Do I need a research card?
You will not be required to obtain a research card to attend the event, but researcher registration is right outside the room, and this is a great opportunity to get one!
We will also be broadcasting the first part of the day on a Google Hangout (we'll break for the exhibit tour). Join
part one here and
part two here. During the editing if you have questions, log in to the chat below or ask them to innovationhub@nara.gov
Can't make it to the event? You can participate online! Here's how it works:
On the day of the event, check in with your Wikipedia username. Don't have a username yet? It's easy to
create one.
Choose an article to edit from the list on this page. Want to work on an article that's not on the list? You're welcome to choose any topic you like!
Have questions during the event? Chat with us! Some events also include a video or audio conference. You can find more details on this page.
NARA Record: Letter from the Polish American Congress in Support of a Constitutional Amendment to Make English the Official Language of the United States, 02/06/1984 (
NAID 26283956)
Plural marriage amendment - No page exists only
Reynolds v. United States or
Polygamy, neither mention the drive for a constitutional amendment. The drive mostly came during Utah’s bid for statehood. There was also a push at the time for the federal government to regulate marriage and divorce (because of the fear of polygamy from Utah).
NARA Record: Defense of Plural Marriage by the Women of Utah County, 1878 (
NAID 24747004)
NARA Record: Petition for a Constitutional Amendment to Expel Members of Congress who are Absent for More than 40 Percent of Roll Call Votes, ca 1971 (
NAID 26283957)
Richard A. Davis, CRS Report for Congress: Proposed Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America Introduced in Congress From the 91st Congress, 1st Session, Through the 98th Congress, 2nd Session, January 1969-December 1984, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, February 1, 1985.
(Primary) Margaret Chase Smith Proposed Constitutional Amendment Summary, December 20, 1971; Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee/ Constitutional Amendments (SEN14A-604; 92 nd Congress; Records of the U.S. Senate, RG 46; National Archives, Washington, DC
The Documentary History of the First Federal Congress of the United States of America, March 4, 1789-March 3, 1791: Vol. 1. Senate Legislative Journal. Linda Grant De Pauw, Editor. Charlene Bangs Bickford and LaVonne Marlene Siegel, Assistant Editors. (The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 1972)
“Additional Articles of Amendment, September 7, 1789; Creating the Bill of Rights: The Documentary Record from the First Federal Congress.” Pg. 41-42.
School Prayer Amendment - Contains little info prior to 1997, so this is a great candidate. This was one of the most introduced amendment in the 60s and 70s.
NARA Record: Letter from the Central Christian Church of Fort Lauderdale in Favor of the School Prayer Constitutional Amendment, 06/11/1964 (
NAID 24824307)
Letter from the Alabama Baptist State Convention Opposed to a School Prayer Constitutional Amendment, 05/08/1964 (
NAID 24824310)
NARA Record: House Joint Resolution (H.J. Res.) 159, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution to Extend the Right to Vote to Widows and Spinsters who are Property Holders, 04/30/1888 (
NAID 25466157)
NARA Record: Petition for Universal Suffrage which Asks for an Amendment to the Constitution that Shall Prohibit the Several States from Disenfranchising Any of Their Citizens on the Ground of Sex, 1865 (
NAID 26081744)
Declaration of war by the United States - Could add section on constitutional amendments. This was as a result of American Isolationism and could be too narrow of an issue to be noted in the article.
NARA Record: Petition for a Constitutional Amendment to Hold National Referendums on Declarations of War from Danville, Ohio, 1938 (
NAID 24200391)
Christian amendment - Seems pretty extensive but this was one of the most introduced amendments so maybe there is something there.
NARA Record: Petition from the Congregation of the United Presbyterian Church from Sebring, Ohio to Amend the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution, 02/15/1923
(NAID 24200385)
NARA Record: Letter from the Polish American Congress in Support of a Constitutional Amendment to Make English the Official Language of the United States, 02/06/1984 (
NAID 26283956)
Human Life Amendment - Covers all pro-life amendments, but roughly half of the amendments introduced during this time period were pro-choice and there doesn’t seem to be anything about them in Wikipedia.
NARA Record: Letter to Senator Birch Bayh Regarding Congressional Hearings on Constitutional Amendments on Abortion from Senator James Buckley, 01/29/1974 (
NAID 26283954)
Duel - Could edit the section on dueling in Colonial North America/United States.
NARA Record: H.R. 8, Proposing an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to Prohibit any Person who was Involved in a Duel from Holding Public Federal Office, 03/05/1838 (
NAID 25466015)
Three-Fifths Compromise - Could be edited to include background about this proposed amendment, but it’s a narrow idea.
NARA Record: Petition from Citizens of Ashtabula County, Ohio for a Constitutional Amendment that Representation in Congress be Uniform throughout the Country, ca 1844 (
NAID 25466018)
“Electoral College Reform,” in John R. Vile, Encyclopedia of Constitutional Amendments, Proposed Amendments, and Amending Issues 1789-2010.
Thomas Abernethy - Proposed several amendments, including amendments relating to school prayer and election of the President and Vice President, none of which are mentioned in the article.
Olin E. Teague - Proposed several amendments, including amendments relating to term limits, reconfirmation, and other amendments pertaining to Federal judges and Supreme Court Justices. None of these proposed amendments are mentioned in the article.
Andrew Jacobs, Jr. - Co-authored Voting Rights Act and proposed several amendments, including amendments relating to balancing the budget, prayer in public buildings, and many others. None of the amendments are mentioned in the article.