22nd Amendment

 The **22nd Amendment** to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1951, limits the number of terms a person can serve as President of the United States. Specifically, it states that:

1. **No person can be elected to the office of the President more than twice**.

2. If someone assumes the presidency (e.g., as Vice President after the sitting President dies or resigns) and serves more than **two years of that term**, they may only be elected to the presidency **once more**.

This amendment was passed largely in response to **Franklin D. Roosevelt's four-term presidency**. Before Roosevelt, presidents traditionally served only two terms, following the precedent set by George Washington. However, there was no formal restriction, and Roosevelt was elected to four terms (1933-1945), largely due to the crises of the Great Depression and World War II.

The amendment reflects the desire to maintain a balance of power and prevent any single individual from holding the presidency for an extended period, thus preserving the democratic structure and preventing potential authoritarianism.

---

**Key Points of the 22nd Amendment:**

- **Limits presidency to two terms** (each term is four years).

- If a president serves **more than two years** of a term not initially their own, they can only be elected for **one additional term**.

- **Passed by Congress in 1947** and **ratified by the states in 1951**.