The Twentieth Amendment is one of several amendments that changed Article II. Among other things, this amendment shortened the time period between election and inauguration, a time commonly referred to as the “lame duck” period. It also set January 20th as Inauguration Day for the president and vice president, and January 3rd as the date for congressmen to take office.
The text of this amendment begins, “The terms of the President and the Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.”
Click here for follow-along questions.
© Periodic Presidents, PJ and Jamie Creek
You must be logged in to post a comment.