What is an essential requirement for a proposed amendment to become law?

For a proposed amendment to the Constitution to become law, it must be ratified by three-fourths of the states. This requirement ensures that any significant changes to the nation's foundational legal document have widespread support across the United States, reflecting the principle of federalism whereby both the national and state governments play a role in the amendment process.

The process begins with a proposal, which can either be passed by a two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or convened through a constitutional convention. Once proposed, the amendment must then receive ratification from at least 38 out of the 50 states. This high threshold prevents hasty or controversial changes from occurring without substantial consensus among states, reinforcing the stability of the Constitution.

This requirement for ratification by three-fourths of the states illustrates the importance placed on broad agreement and reflects the historical context of the Constitution's framing, where the framers sought to create a system that would not easily be altered without significant deliberation and consensus.