The Articles of Confederation at one point were the only set of guidelines for our country, “in 1787 Congress held a meeting to reform the Articles of Confederation” (Losco ,Baker 22). “However; James Madison, also known as the Father of the Constitution, had a different idea, to throw away the Articles of Confederation and build something different” (Losco, Baker 23). According to Smith and Spaeth “in 1789 the Constitution was ratified , and then in 1791 the Bill of Rights was added” (Smith,Spaeth). Although many people today know these facts, not many know how the contents of this document affect us. Article V of the Constitution concerns how the amendments are proposed and ratified, if there was no system we could have millions of amendments. As a result, numerous amendments have been added to the Constitution that affect our daily lives “Without the Thirteenth Amendment, slavery would still be legal” (Losco ,Baker 98), and without the Nineteenth Amendment women would not have the right to vote” (Losco,Baker 115).“One of the reasons the United States Constitution has survived as long as it has is that the framers made changes ”(Losco,Baker 32). The explanation for this is Article V. “Article V is the method of an amendment,” or how it is passed (Constitution Guide Index). "The Congress, whenever two-thirds of the Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, at the request of the legislatures of two-thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention to propose amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid for all purposes, as part of this Constitution, When ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States...... half of the document......5.1 (2009): 6+. Network. November 28, 2011. Reidy, Maurice Timothy. “How Dry We Were: Ken Burns and Lynn Novick Revisit Prohibition.” America, October 10, 2011: 22+. Network. November 28, 2011. Smith, Edward Conrad and Harold J. Spaeth. “Chronology of Events in the Constitutional History of the United States.” HarperCollins Publishers, 1991. 54+. GOLD General Reference Center the control of Jim Crow." Cobblestone April 2008: 3. GOLD General Reference Center. Network. November 27, 2011. "The Constitution of the United States of America." Constitution of the United States. HarperCollins Publishers, 1991. 199+. GOLD general reference center. Network. November 27, 2011. “The Suffrage Movement (1878-1899).” American eras. Detroit: Gale, 1997. GOLD General Reference Center. Network. November 28. 2011.