How could a 208 year-old document, written for a small agricultural nation of thirteen states endure through the tests of time to apply to today's immense, modern highly industrialized society? This is because of the flexibility with which the Constitution was imbued. The framers knew that they could not possibly plan for every circumstance or situation. As such, they provided various methods by which the Constitution and its laws could be modified as society grew and changed. That is why the United States Constitution is known as a "living constitution," one which can adapt and be flexible as necessary. There are three ways in which the Constitution is a "living" document: the formal amendment process; the informal amendment process; and custom, usage, and tradition. The formal amendment process is how amendments are added to the Constitution. Article V details the two methods to propose an amendment and the two methods to ratify an amendment. This part of the living constitution has been a useful tool by which Congress may enact an amendment. It keeps them honest in that the states must approve of any amendments by a three-fourths vote.
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