Harvard Historian Discusses Constitutional Problems in America
The Harvard historian talks about government shutdowns and the rights and duties of American citizens.
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Jill Lepore is a historian who studies the US Constitution. In her new book, she explains why it is so difficult to change the Constitution. America has one of the lowest rates of constitutional changes in the world.
The founders in 1787 wanted amendments to be challenging but not impossible. However, the process became much harder than they expected. Political polarization started around 1968 and made things worse.
The last important amendment happened in 1971 when the voting age became 18. Because we cannot change the Constitution easily, the Supreme Court makes important decisions instead. Lepore thinks the Constitution should change with the times.
She believes 2026 could be a good time for Americans to think about their Constitution again.
Original Article
foreignpolicy.comhttps://foreignpolicy.com/2025/10/05/jill-lepore-us-constitutional-crisis/