THE FIVE FAILED AMENDMENTS
In addition, there were six constitutional amendments that were passed by two-thirds of both houses of Congress but were never ratified by three-fourths of the states, as required in Article Five of the Constitution.
CONGRESSIONAL APPORTIONMENT
Passed Congress: SEPT. 25, 1789
This amendment, proposed as one of 12 original “Bill of Rights” amendments, would have regulated the size of congressional districts to ensure apportionment of representatives. It never passed, although there was another failed “Bill of Rights” amendment that was finally ratified in
1992 — 202 years and 223 days after Congress sent it to the states.
TITLES OF NOBILITY AMENDMENT
Passed Congress: MAY 1, 1810
This amendment would require any U.S. citizen who accepts a title of nobility from another country to be stripped of his or her U.S. citizenship.
‘THE CORWIN AMENDMENT’
Passed Congress: MARCH 2, 1861
This amendment would make state’s “domestic institutions” — especially slavery — immune to abolition or other interference from Congress.
CHILD LABOR AMENDMENT
Passed Congress: JUNE 2, 1924
This amendment would have permitted the federal government to limit, regulate or prohibit child labor.
EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT
Passed Congress: MARCH 22, 1972
This amendment would have prohibited denial of any rights by federal or state governments on the basis of sex. Congress originally set a deadline of March 22, 1979, to pass this amendment and then extended that to June 30, 1982. It did not pass. After that, three more states passed the ERA, which would have made it law — if the ratification deadline hadn’t expired. This is still being argued in courts.
D.C. VOTING RIGHTS AMENDMENT
Passed Congress: AUG. 22, 1978
This amendment would have given the District of Columbia full rights as a state, with members of Congress and other rights. Congress set a ratification deadline of Aug. 22, 1985 — which wasn’t met.
Sources: “The Constitution: The Story of the Creation and Adaptation of the Most Important Document in the History of the United States of America” by Gerry and Janet Souter, “The First Congress: How James Madison, George Washington and a Group of Extraordinary Men Invented the Government” by Fergus M. Bordewich, “The Bill of Rights: The Fight to Secure America’s Liberties” by Carol Berkin, “The Framing of the Federal Constitution,” by Richard B. Morris, Architect of the Capitol, Usconstitution.net, Findlaw.com