How are amendments to the Constitution ratified?

Amendments to the Constitution are ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures or by conventions in three-fourths of the states. This process underscores the importance of both federalism and state sovereignty in the American political system. The framers of the Constitution wanted to ensure that any significant changes to the nation's foundational document would reflect broad consensus among the states, thereby requiring substantial support rather than a simple majority, which could lead to hasty or less widely accepted changes. The two pathways for ratification—either through state legislatures or through state conventions—enable states to have a direct say in the amendment process, thus reinforcing their role in the federal structure.