An executive agreement is an agreement made between the executive branch of the government that is not ratified by the Senate. This type of agreement is often used by the United States government as a way to bypass the formal treaty-making process. An executive agreement can have much more informal changes to the constitution of the United States than a formal treaty. In this article, we will explore how an executive agreement is an example of informal changes to the constitution.

The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land. The Constitution outlines the structure of the federal government and establishes the rights and freedoms of citizens. It is a document that is designed to be difficult to amend so that changes to the Constitution are made only after careful consideration and deliberation.

There are two ways to amend the Constitution formally. The first way is through a constitutional amendment, which requires a two-thirds majority vote in the House of Representatives and the Senate and ratification by three-fourths of the states. The second way is through a constitutional convention, which requires a two-thirds vote of the states.

Executive agreements, on the other hand, are a type of agreement that is made between the President and a foreign government without the need for Senate ratification. Executive agreements are often used to avoid the lengthy and cumbersome process of ratifying a treaty. While executive agreements are not subject to the same constitutional scrutiny as a treaty, they can have a significant impact on the country.

One example of an executive agreement that had a significant impact on the United States was the agreement between President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The agreement, known as the Atlantic Charter, was signed in 1941 and outlined the principles that would guide the United States and Britain during World War II.

The Atlantic Charter was not a formal treaty and was not ratified by the Senate. However, the principles outlined in the agreement became the basis for the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Atlantic Charter had a profound impact on the post-war world, and its principles continue to guide international relations to this day.

In conclusion, an executive agreement can have much more informal changes to the constitution of the United States than a formal treaty. While executive agreements are not subject to the same constitutional scrutiny, they can have a significant impact on the country. The Atlantic Charter is an excellent example of how an executive agreement can become the basis for international agreements and influence the course of history.