▁a ▁major ▁f law ▁in ▁the ▁Articles , ▁as ▁it ▁created ▁an ▁ins ur mount able ▁obst acle ▁to ▁constitution al ▁reform . ▁The ▁am end ment ▁process ▁craft ed ▁during ▁the ▁Philadelphia ▁Constitution al ▁Convention ▁was , ▁according ▁to ▁The ▁Federal ist ▁No . ▁ 4 3 , ▁designed ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁balance ▁between ▁p li ancy ▁and ▁rig id ity : ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁two ▁steps ▁in ▁the ▁am end ment ▁process . ▁Pro pos als ▁to ▁am end ▁the ▁Constitution ▁must ▁be ▁properly ▁adopted ▁and ▁rat ified ▁before ▁they ▁change ▁the ▁Constitution . ▁First , ▁there ▁are ▁two ▁procedures ▁for ▁adopt ing ▁the ▁language ▁of ▁a ▁proposed ▁am end ment , ▁either ▁by ▁( a ) ▁Congress , ▁by ▁two - third s ▁majority ▁in ▁both ▁the ▁Senate ▁and ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives , ▁or ▁( b ) ▁national ▁convention ▁( which ▁shall ▁take ▁place ▁whenever ▁two - third s ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁legisl atures ▁collect ively ▁call ▁for ▁one ). ▁Second , ▁there ▁are ▁two ▁procedures ▁for ▁rat ifying ▁the ▁proposed ▁am end ment , ▁which ▁requires ▁three - four th s ▁of ▁the ▁states ' ▁( present ly ▁ 3 8 ▁of ▁ 5 0 ) ▁appro val : ▁( a ) ▁consent ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁legisl atures , ▁or ▁( b ) ▁consent ▁of ▁state ▁rat ifying ▁convent ions . ▁The ▁rat ification ▁method ▁is ▁chosen ▁by ▁Congress ▁for ▁each ▁am end ment . ▁State ▁rat ifying ▁convent ions ▁were ▁used ▁only ▁once , ▁for ▁the ▁Tw