Final answer:
The U.S. Constitution uses amendments to adapt to the country's evolving needs, making it a flexible and living document. The formal amendment process requires significant consensus, ensuring changes are deliberate and reflect the changing needs of society. Option A is the correct choice, illustrating that the Constitution can be changed as new needs arise.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ability for the U.S. Constitution to adapt and evolve through the use of amendments is crucial to its longevity and relevance. The amendment process allows the Constitution to reflect the changing values, needs, and circumstances of American society. According to Article V of the Constitution, an amendment can be proposed either by a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress or by a two-thirds vote of state legislatures calling for a convention. Ratification requires approval by three-quarters of state legislatures or by conventions in three-quarters of the states.
Throughout American history, amendments have addressed significant social issues and expanded rights, including the abolition of slavery, the suffrage of women, and the establishment of term limits for the presidency. Despite over 10,000 proposed amendments, only 27 have been ratified, illustrating the deliberate and consensus-driven nature of the process. Amendments like the first ten, known as the Bill of Rights, provided essential protections for individual liberties, addressing concerns of the Anti-federalists about too powerful a national government.
In summary, the correction offered by the amendments and the structured but flexible amendment process ensure the Constitution remains a dynamic, living document capable of adapting to the nation's evolving needs.
Regarding the specific options provided in the question, option A is the correct choice: It allows the Constitution to be changed as new needs arise, enabling it to evolve alongside the country.