Eleanor Finch
The US Constitution, beginning with the words We the People, is composed of a preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights. An article is a small section of a larger document, like the Constitution. An amendment, on the other hand, is a change to an existing law or document, such as the Constitution. Amendments can be proposed by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures. A proposed amendment becomes an official Article of the Constitution once it is ratified by three-fourths of the states.
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What You'll Learn
Articles are sections of the original document
The US Constitution is composed of a preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights. The seven articles make up the structural constitution, which was signed on September 17, 1787, and ratified on June 21, 1788.
Amendments, on the other hand, are changes or additions made to the original document. In the case of the US Constitution, amendments are proposed and ratified through a specific process. The authority to amend the Constitution is derived from Article V, which outlines the steps for proposing and ratifying amendments. Amendments can be proposed by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Once an amendment is proposed, it is forwarded to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for processing and publication.
The process continues with states ratifying the proposed amendment. When a state ratifies, it sends an original or certified copy of the state's action to the Archivist of the United States, who is responsible for administering the ratification process. An amendment becomes part of the Constitution when it is ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 out of 50). At this point, it becomes an official Article of the Constitution.
To summarise, articles are indeed sections of the original document, forming the core structure of the Constitution, while amendments are changes or additions made to that document through a specific ratification process.
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Amendments are changes to the original document
The US Constitution is composed of a preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The seven articles make up the structural constitution, which was signed on September 17, 1787, and ratified on June 21, 1788. Amendments, on the other hand, are changes or additions made to an existing legal document, such as the Constitution. In the case of the US Constitution, the authority to make amendments is derived from Article V of the Constitution.
The process of amending the US Constitution is a well-defined procedure. Amendments can be proposed by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Alternatively, a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures can propose amendments. However, in practice, all 27 amendments to the US Constitution have been proposed by Congress.
Once an amendment is proposed, it is forwarded to the National Archives and Records Administration's (NARA) Office of the Federal Register (OFR) for processing and publication. The OFR adds legislative history notes and publishes the proposed amendment, along with an information package for the states. The amendment then goes through the ratification process, where it must be ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 out of 50) to become part of the Constitution.
The ratification process is administered by the Archivist of the United States, who follows established procedures and customs. Once an amendment is ratified, the Archivist certifies its validity, and this certification is published in the Federal Register and U.S. Statutes at Large, serving as official notice of the completion of the amendment process. This certification is a formal record-keeping procedure and does not have any legal effect on the amendment itself.
In summary, while articles refer to the original sections of the Constitution, amendments are changes or additions made to the document. The amendment process allows for the modification and updating of the Constitution over time, ensuring its adaptability to the evolving needs of the nation.
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Amendments are proposed by Congress
The US Constitution is composed of a preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights. Amendments are proposed by Congress and require a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Congress proposes an amendment in the form of a joint resolution, which is then forwarded to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for processing and publication. The NARA adds legislative history notes to the joint resolution and publishes it in slip law format, as well as assembling an information package for the states.
Once an amendment is proposed by Congress, it must be ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 out of 50) to become part of the Constitution. The ratification process is administered by the Archivist of the United States, who heads the NARA. The Archivist follows procedures and customs established by the Secretary of State and the Administrator of General Services. After ratification, the OFR verifies that it has received the required number of authenticated ratification documents and drafts a formal proclamation for the Archivist to certify that the amendment is valid.
Throughout history, there have been numerous notable amendment proposals considered by Congress. For example, in 1911, Representative Victor Berger proposed an amendment to abolish the Senate due to his belief that it was corrupt and useless to the country. In the 19th century, a Duelling Ban Amendment was proposed after Representative William Graves killed another Representative, Jonathan Cilley, in a duel. This amendment would have prohibited anyone involved in a duel from holding federal office.
In terms of the amendment process, it is important to note that the President does not have a constitutional role, and the joint resolution does not require their signature or approval. However, in recent history, the signing of the certification has become a ceremonial function that the President may attend and witness. Overall, the process of amending the Constitution was designed to be difficult but not impossible, recognising the difference between regular legislation and constitutional matters.
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Amendments require ratification by three-fourths of states
The US Constitution is composed of a preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights. The authority to amend the Constitution of the United States is derived from Article V of the Constitution.
Amendments to the Constitution may be proposed either by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a convention to propose amendments called by Congress at the request of two-thirds of the state legislatures. Congress determines which method the states must follow for proposed amendments to become effective.
Once an amendment is proposed, it must be ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 out of 50) to become part of the Constitution. Congress chooses whether a proposed amendment is sent to the state legislatures or to state ratifying conventions for ratification. The vote of each state (to either ratify or reject a proposed amendment) carries equal weight, regardless of a state's population or length of time in the Union.
Amendments ratified by the states under either procedure are indistinguishable and have equal validity as part of the Constitution. The process of state ratifying conventions has been used only once in American history, with the 1933 ratification of the Twenty-First Amendment.
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The US Constitution has seven articles
The US Constitution is a document that acts as a blueprint for the country and is composed of a preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The seven articles make up the structural constitution, which was signed on September 17, 1787, and ratified on June 21, 1788.
Article I establishes the Legislative Branch, which is responsible for making laws. This branch is divided into two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Congress, a part of the Legislative Branch, has the power to draft and pass legislation, borrow money, declare war, and raise a military. It also serves as a check and balance against the other two federal branches.
Article II outlines the Executive Branch, which manages the day-to-day operations of the government through various departments and agencies. The President, as the head of the Executive Branch, swears an oath to "faithfully execute" their responsibilities and to "preserve, protect, and defend" the Constitution. The Executive Branch's powers include making treaties, appointing federal judges and ambassadors, and determining how to run the country and military operations.
Article III focuses on the Judicial Branch, outlining the powers of the federal court system. It establishes the US Supreme Court as the court of last resort, with Congress having the power to determine the size and scope of lower courts. It also specifies that judges are appointed for life and can only be removed for misconduct or resignation.
Article IV defines the relationship between the states and the federal government, detailing how the federal government ensures harmony among the states.
Article V explains the amendment process, outlining how future generations can amend the Constitution if societal changes require it. Both the states and Congress can initiate this process, which is more complex than the process for making laws.
Article VI, also known as the "Supremacy Clause," establishes the supremacy of the Constitution and federal laws over state and local laws. It also requires all officials, from members of state legislatures to the executive branch, to swear an oath to the Constitution.
In summary, the seven articles of the US Constitution provide the framework for the US government's structure and function, outlining the powers and responsibilities of its key branches and their relationship with the states. They form the foundation upon which the US political system operates and have been amended over time to adapt to the nation's evolving needs.
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Frequently asked questions
An article is a small section of a larger document, like the Constitution. The US Constitution is composed of seven articles.
An amendment is a change to an existing law or document, like the Constitution. Amendments are proposed by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
There have been 27 amendments to the US Constitution, beginning with the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments.
No, they are not the same. Articles are sections within the original document, while amendments are changes or additions made to that document.
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