Jonah Patel
The first section of the United States Constitution is known as Article One. This section includes clauses that prevent Congress from passing any law that would restrict the importation of slaves into the United States prior to 1808, and that grant Congress the power to meet without being called into session by the president.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Article One |
| Clause | Prevents Congress from passing any law that would restrict the importation of slaves into the United States prior to 1808 |
| Clause | Allows Congress to levy a per capita duty of up to ten Spanish milled dollars for each slave imported into the country |
| Clause | Congress must assemble at least once a year, on the first Monday in December, unless they appoint a different day |
| Clause | Congress may lay and collect taxes for the "common defense" or "general welfare" of the United States |
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What You'll Learn
- The first clause prevents Congress from passing any law that would restrict the importation of slaves into the United States prior to 1808
- Congress could, however, levy a per capita duty of up to ten Spanish milled dollars for each slave imported
- The Spending Clause and the Taxing and Spending Clause
- The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year
- The Constitution empowers Congress to meet, whether or not the president called it into session
The first clause prevents Congress from passing any law that would restrict the importation of slaves into the United States prior to 1808
The first section of the Constitution is called Article One. Article One includes a clause that prevents Congress from passing any law that would restrict the importation of slaves into the United States prior to 1808. This clause was further entrenched into the Constitution by Article V, which explicitly shielded it from constitutional amendment prior to 1808.
The clause was a compromise between the Northern and Southern states, who disagreed on the issue of slavery. The Southern states were for continued importation, while the Northern states were against it.
The clause did not prevent Congress from levying a per capita duty of up to ten Spanish milled dollars for each slave imported into the country. This was reflected in Article 1, Section 9, Clause 1, of the Constitution.
On March 2, 1807, Congress approved legislation prohibiting the importation of slaves into the United States. This legislation went into effect on January 1, 1808, the first day of the prohibition permitted by the Constitution. This marked the earliest date that a federal law could abolish the international slave trade in all states, although individual states could and did ban it before such time.
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Congress could, however, levy a per capita duty of up to ten Spanish milled dollars for each slave imported
The first section of the United States Constitution is called Article One. The first clause in this section prevents Congress from passing any law that would restrict the importation of slaves into the United States prior to 1808. However, Congress could levy a per capita duty of up to ten Spanish milled dollars for each slave imported into the country. This was further entrenched into the Constitution by Article V, which explicitly shielded it from constitutional amendment prior to 1808.
On March 2, 1807, Congress approved legislation prohibiting the importation of slaves into the United States, which went into effect on January 1, 1808, the first day of the prohibition permitted by the Constitution. This clause saw brief life outside of the slavery context in the late 1790s when the Virginia General Assembly cited it in arguing against the Alien Enemies Acts, a federal act used by the Adams administration to deport French immigrants.
Article One also includes a clause, often referred to as the Spending Clause or the Taxing and Spending Clause, which states that Congress may lay and collect taxes for the "common defence" or "general welfare" of the United States. The U.S. Supreme Court has not often defined "general welfare", leaving the political question to Congress.
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The Spending Clause and the Taxing and Spending Clause
The first section of the United States Constitution is known as Article One. It includes the Spending Clause, also known as the Taxing and Spending Clause, which states that Congress may lay and collect taxes for the "common defence" or "general welfare" of the United States.
The Spending Clause was first construed in United States v. Butler (1936). The dispute centred on a tax collected from processors of agricultural products, such as meat. The funds raised by the tax were not paid into the general funds of the treasury, but were instead specially earmarked.
James Madison, who wrote much of the Constitution, asserted that Congress could not exercise powers unless they were expressly granted in the Constitution. While he was president of the United States, Madison vetoed the Federal Public Works Bill of 1817, calling it unconstitutional, since in his view, the federal government did not have the authority to build infrastructure.
Article One also includes a clause that prevents Congress from passing any law that would restrict the importation of slaves into the United States prior to 1808. Congress could, however, levy a per capita duty of up to ten Spanish milled dollars for each slave imported into the country. This clause was further entrenched into the Constitution by Article V, where it is explicitly shielded from constitutional amendment prior to 1808.
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The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year
Article One of the United States Constitution is the name given to the first section of the Constitution. It includes a clause that prevents Congress from passing any law that would restrict the importation of slaves into the United States prior to 1808. This clause was further entrenched by Article V, which explicitly shielded it from constitutional amendment before 1808.
Article One also includes a provision that requires Congress to assemble at least once a year. This provision, known as Clause 2, fixes an annual date for Congress to meet, empowering them to do so without the president calling them into session. The date for this meeting is set as the first Monday in December, unless a different day is appointed by law.
Some delegates to the 1787 constitutional convention believed that yearly meetings were unnecessary, arguing that there would not be enough legislative business for Congress to deal with annually. However, the Constitution grants Congress the authority to meet and enact legislation on behalf of the people, regardless of whether the president has called a session.
Article II, Section 3 grants the president limited authority to convene and adjourn both Houses of Congress, or either of them. This ensures that Congress will meet at least once a year, even if the president does not call a session. James Madison, who wrote much of the Constitution, believed that Congress could not exercise powers unless they were expressly granted in the Constitution. He vetoed the Federal Public Works Bill of 1817, deeming it unconstitutional as the federal government did not have the authority to build infrastructure.
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The Constitution empowers Congress to meet, whether or not the president called it into session
The first section of the United States Constitution is called Article One. It includes a clause that prevents Congress from passing any law that would restrict the importation of slaves into the United States before 1808. It also includes a clause that allows Congress to levy a per capita duty of up to ten Spanish milled dollars for each slave imported into the country. This clause was further entrenched into the Constitution by Article V, which explicitly shields it from constitutional amendment before 1808.
Article One also includes a clause that requires Congress to assemble at least once a year, on the first Monday in December, unless they appoint a different day by law. This clause, known as Clause 2, fixes an annual date upon which Congress must meet. By doing so, the Constitution empowers Congress to meet, whether or not the president called it into session. This provision grants Congress the authority to convene and conduct legislative business independently, even if the president has not specifically requested their assembly.
The interpretation and application of Article One have been the subject of legal disputes and court cases, such as United States v. Butler (1936), which centred on a tax collected from processors of agricultural products. The outcome of this case helped shape the understanding of the powers and limitations outlined in Article One.
Additionally, James Madison, who wrote much of the Constitution, asserted that Congress could not exercise powers unless they were expressly granted in the Constitution. This principle, known as the Spending Clause or the Taxing and Spending Clause, underscores the importance of constitutional authority in guiding congressional actions.
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Frequently asked questions
Article One.
Article One states that Congress must meet at least once a year, on the first Monday in December, unless they appoint a different day. It also includes the Spending Clause, which states that Congress may lay and collect taxes for the "common defence" or "general welfare" of the United States.
Article One also includes a clause that prevents Congress from passing any law that would restrict the importation of slaves into the United States prior to 1808.
James Madison wrote much of the Constitution, including Article One.
