The courts
originalism
An approach to constitutional interpretation that asks what the text meant to the public when it was adopted, and treats that meaning as fixed.
In full
Modern originalism focuses on original public meaning rather than the framers' private intentions. Its defenders argue it constrains judges and leaves change to the amendment process. Critics argue the historical record is often indeterminate, that the ratifying public excluded most Americans, and that applying eighteenth-century meaning to modern facts requires judgment originalism claims to avoid.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.