What was a significant change introduced by Amendment 22?

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Prepare for the UCF POS2041 American National Government Exam 3. Study with multiple choice questions and detailed explanations. Pass your exam with confidence!

Amendment 22, ratified in 1951, established a limit on the number of terms a person can serve as President of the United States. Specifically, it prohibits anyone from being elected to the office more than twice. This amendment was a significant change in the governance of the nation as it aimed to formalize and codify the tradition established by George Washington, who voluntarily chose not to seek a third term. By limiting presidential terms, this amendment was intended to prevent any single individual from accumulating too much power over an extended period, thereby promoting a more democratic rotation in leadership and ensuring the possibility of new perspectives in governance.

The other amendments mentioned in the options address different issues. For example, the amendment ensuring the direct election of senators refers to the 17th Amendment, while the amendments related to voting rights for women and Black males pertain to the 19th and 15th Amendments, respectively. These amendments are significant in their contexts but do not pertain to presidential term limits, which is the focus of Amendment 22.