Which statement accurately describes the two common paths to proposing constitutional amendments and their ratification?

• A. Proposing amendments require a two-thirds vote in one chamber; ratification by a simple majority of states.
• B. Proposing amendments via popular referendum; ratification by presidential approval.
• C. Proposing amendments by a national referendum; ratification by all states.
• D. Proposing amendments by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or by two-thirds of state legislatures calling for a constitutional convention; ratification by three-fourths of the states.

Answer: (D)

The essential idea is that amending the Constitution uses two routes for proposing and two routes for ratifying, with a very high threshold to ensure broad support. Proposals can come from either two-thirds of both houses of Congress or from two-thirds of state legislatures calling for a constitutional convention. Once a proposal exists, ratification requires three-fourths of the states to approve, and Congress decides whether ratification will be by state legislatures or by state ratifying conventions. This combination—two ways to propose, two ways to ratify, and a three-fourths requirement—matches the description in the correct statement.