Unit 1 - Amending the Constitution
Weekly FRQ Concept Application
Social Studies Lab | One Scenario Every Week
Weekly FRQ#1Week of August 24, 2026
The Beagle in Chief
This week is about the hardest thing to do in American government: change the Constitution itself. Right now there is an actual proposal in Congress to amend the two term limit on the presidency. Read the scenario, then answer all three parts like it is the real AP exam. You have 20 minutes. Go.
Connects to: Unit 1 - Foundations / Article V / Limiting Concentrated Power
Todays Scenario
In January 2025, a member of the U.S. House introduced House Joint Resolution 29, a proposal to amend the Constitution so that a president could be elected to a third term, changing the two term limit set by the 22nd Amendment. As of mid 2026 the resolution remains in committee and has not received a vote in the full House. Supporters argue that voters, not a fixed term limit, should decide how many times a leader can be elected. Other members of Congress introduced a competing resolution reaffirming the 22nd Amendment, arguing that removing the term limit would concentrate power in the presidency and undo a safeguard added after one president was elected four times in a row in the 1930s and 1940s. Under Article V of the Constitution, a proposed amendment must first pass both the House and Senate by a two thirds vote, or be proposed by a national convention called by two thirds of the states, and then be ratified by three fourths of the state legislatures or state ratifying conventions before it becomes part of the Constitution. Strong political support for a proposal does not change the Constitution unless this two stage process is completed.
Based on H.J.Res.29, 119th Congress, and related coverage, as of August 2026. Source link: Congress.gov: H.J.Res.29
A
Describe the process required under Article V of the Constitution to formally amend the Constitution.
1 Point
B
In the context of the scenario, explain how the difficulty of the constitutional amendment process reflects the Framers goal of protecting the nation from the dangers of concentrated power, as discussed in Federalist No. 51.
1 Point
C
Explain how the requirement that three fourths of the states ratify a constitutional amendment reflects the principle of federalism.
1 Point
20:00
Scoring Guideline - 3 Points Total
PART A1 PT
Award the point if the response describes the two stage Article V process: proposal (passage by a two thirds vote in both the House and Senate, or a national convention called by two thirds of the states) followed by ratification (approval by three fourths of the state legislatures, or by ratifying conventions in three fourths of the states).
PART B1 PT
Award the point if the response explains that the Framers deliberately built supermajority requirements into the amendment process so that a temporary majority or a single faction could not quickly rewrite fundamental law, connecting this to the Federalist No. 51 argument that government structure itself, through auxiliary precautions such as separated powers and checks on power, must guard against the concentration and abuse of power.
PART C1 PT
Award the point if the response explains that federalism divides power between the national and state governments, and that requiring ratification by three fourths of the states gives state governments a direct formal check on changes to the national Constitution, meaning the national government cannot amend the Constitution unilaterally no matter how large its congressional majority is.
