If you've watched even one American crime movie, you've definitely heard about the U.S. Constitution and its amendments (for example, movies often reference the Fifth Amendment, which allows you not to testify against yourself).

It's the most important law in the country and one of the oldest constitutions still in effect in the world. Since 1789, they've adopted 27 amendments to it. Though they've considered almost 12,000 of them (yes, 12 thousand).

Among the rejected ones was the Ludlow Amendment. It proposed putting decisions about the necessity to start military operations outside your territory to a general referendum (except in cases where the country was already attacked). Everyone voting FOR would be obligated to sign up as a volunteer and go to the front. I don't understand why every country doesn't adopt such a rule for itself.

But sadly, the proposal was first introduced in 1914, and the most intense phase of discussion and voting fell during World War II. This heavily influenced public opinion, and in the end, it didn't reach the necessary threshold.

PS. If you're interested, here is a small collection of curious rejected amendments. It's amusing to see how in one year they proposed banning religious leaders from holding public office, and in another year they wanted to write God into the Constitution.