Isabella Carter
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Constitution contains a preamble and seven articles that describe the structure and operation of the government. The first three articles establish the three branches of government: the legislative, executive, and judicial. The Constitution has been amended 27 times since it became operational, with the first ten amendments known as the Bill of Rights, which protect individual liberty and justice and restrict government powers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Articles | 7 |
| Date Superseded the Articles of Confederation | March 4, 1789 |
| Number of Amendments | 27 |
| First 3 Articles | Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches of government |
| Legislative Branch | Bicameral Congress, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate |
| Executive Branch | President and subordinate officers |
| Judicial Branch | Supreme Court and other federal courts |
| Article IV | Outlines the relations among states and their powers in relation to each other |
| Article V | Explains the amendment process |
| Article VI | Federal law is supreme over state and local laws |
| Article VII | Describes the ratification process, requiring special state ratifying conventions from nine states |
| Closing Endorsement | Provides documentation of the Constitution's validity and records who signed, when, and where |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land, superseding the Articles of Confederation, which was the nation's first constitution. The Constitution came into force on March 4, 1789, and has since been amended 27 times.
The Constitution is comprised of a preamble and seven articles that outline the structure and operation of the government. The first three articles establish the three branches of government: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Congress (Article I); the executive, consisting of the President and subordinate officers (Article II); and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts (Article III).
The legislative branch is divided into two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives is composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the states, with each state having a number of representatives based on its population. The Senate, on the other hand, provides equal representation to each state, with two senators representing each state.
The executive branch, led by the President, is responsible for executing the laws and administering the government. The President can be removed from office through impeachment and conviction for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanours.
The judicial branch, outlined in Article III, includes the Supreme Court and lower federal courts. The Supreme Court decides on Constitutional issues of state law on a case-by-case basis, independent of state legislators' motives. It also interprets and applies the law, punishes and sentences, and directs future action to resolve conflicts.
The Constitution also outlines the relationship between the states and the federal government, with states having the power to create and enforce their own laws while also respecting and helping to enforce the laws of other states. The federal government, through Congress, can pass laws regarding how states honour the laws of other states.
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It outlines the three branches of government
The Constitution of the United States is the document that outlines the three branches of the US government. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789, and has been amended 27 times since it became operational. The Constitution contains a preamble and seven articles that describe the structure and operation of the government.
The first three articles of the Constitution establish the three branches of government and their powers: the legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch consists of a bicameral Congress, which is divided into the House of Representatives and the Senate. The executive branch consists of the President and subordinate officers. The judicial branch consists of the Supreme Court and other federal courts.
The legislative branch, or Congress, is responsible for making laws. The House of Representatives is composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the states, while the Senate has two senators representing each state. Congress assembles at least once a year and each house can determine its rules of proceeding, punish its members for disorderly behaviour, and expel a member with a two-thirds concurrence. Additionally, Congress can create lower courts and an appeals process, as well as enact laws defining crimes and punishments.
The judicial branch, or the federal court system, interprets and applies the law. It has the authority to punish, sentence, and direct future action to resolve conflicts. The Supreme Court, as part of the judicial branch, decides on constitutional issues of state law on a case-by-case basis and only when strictly necessary. It also protects the right to a trial by jury in all criminal cases and defines crimes such as treason.
The executive branch, led by the President, carries out the laws created by the legislative branch. The President can be removed from office through impeachment and conviction for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanours.
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It establishes the Supreme Court and federal courts
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789, and has been amended 27 times since it became operational. The Constitution contains a preamble and seven articles that describe the structure and operation of the government.
The first three articles of the Constitution establish the three branches of government and their powers: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Congress (Article I); the executive, consisting of the President and subordinate officers (Article II); and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts (Article III).
Article III describes the court system (the judicial branch), including the Supreme Court. It outlines the kinds of cases the court takes as original jurisdiction. Congress can create lower courts and an appeals process and enacts laws defining crimes and punishments. The Constitution also protects the right to a trial by jury in all criminal cases and defines the crime of treason.
Section 1 of Article III vests the judicial power of the United States in federal courts, granting them the authority to interpret and apply the law to specific cases. This includes the power to punish, sentence, and direct future action to resolve conflicts. The Supreme Court decides Constitutional issues of state law only on a case-by-case basis and only when there is a strict Constitutional necessity, independent of state legislators' motives, policy outcomes, or national wisdom.
Article IV outlines the relations among the states and between each state and the federal government. It establishes that states have the authority to create and enforce their own laws but must respect and help enforce the laws of other states. Congress may pass federal laws regarding how states honor other states' laws and records.
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It outlines the amendment process
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land, superseding the nation's first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, on March 4, 1789. It outlines the amendment process in Article V, which is different and more difficult than the process for making laws. This article explains that when two-thirds of the Senate and two-thirds of the House of Representatives agree to change the Constitution, an amendment is sent to the state legislatures for a vote. Alternatively, two-thirds of the state legislatures can submit a request to Congress, which will then call a national convention where states propose amendments. For an amendment to be ratified, three-fourths of state legislatures or state conventions must vote in favour.
The procedure for amending the Constitution has been outlined in Article V, with the process overseen by the Archivist of the United States. Previously, between 1949 and 1985, it was overseen by the administrator of General Services, and before that, it was overseen by the secretary of state. The proposal for an amendment must be adopted by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or by a national convention requested by two-thirds of state legislatures. Once the proposal has passed, Congress decides whether the proposed amendment will be ratified by state legislatures or state-ratifying conventions.
The Constitution originally included seven articles, with the first three establishing the three branches of government and their powers: the legislative (Congress), executive (the office of the President), and judicial (Federal court system). A system of checks and balances prevents any one of these separate powers from becoming dominant. Articles four through seven describe the relationship of the states to the Federal Government, establish the Constitution as the supreme law of the land, and define the amendment and ratification processes.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, offer specific protections of individual liberty and justice and place restrictions on the powers of government within the US states. The majority of the 17 later amendments expand individual civil rights protections, while others address federal authority or modify government processes and procedures. Since the Constitution became operational in 1789, it has been amended 27 times.
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It outlines the ratification process
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land, superseding the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. It consists of a preamble and seven articles that outline the structure and operation of the government.
The first three articles establish the three branches of government: the legislative (Congress), executive (the office of the President), and judicial (Federal court system). A system of checks and balances prevents any one of these branches from holding too much power.
Articles IV through VII describe the relationship between the states and the federal government, with Article IV specifically addressing states' powers in relation to each other. States have the authority to create and enforce their laws, but they must also respect and help enforce the laws of other states. Congress may pass federal laws to ensure states honour the laws of other states.
Article V explains the amendment process, which is more complex than the process for creating laws. An amendment must be adopted by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or by a national convention requested by two-thirds of state legislatures. Once the proposal passes, Congress decides whether the amendment will be ratified by state legislatures or state conventions.
Article VII describes the ratification process for the Constitution, requiring special state ratifying conventions. Nine states were needed to enact the Constitution, with Rhode Island becoming the 13th state to ratify it in 1790.
Since its implementation in 1789, the Constitution has been amended 27 times. The first ten amendments, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, protect individual liberties and limit government powers. The majority of the subsequent 17 amendments expand civil rights protections, while others address federal authority or modify government processes.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789.
The US Constitution contains a preamble and seven articles that describe the way the government is structured and how it operates. The first three articles establish the three branches of government: the legislative, executive, and judicial. The remaining articles describe the relationship of the states to the federal government, establish the Constitution as the supreme law of the land, and define the amendment and ratification processes.
The procedure for amending the Constitution is outlined in Article V. A proposal for an amendment must be adopted by two-thirds of both houses of Congress or by a national convention requested by two-thirds of the state legislatures. Once the proposal has passed, Congress decides whether the amendment is to be ratified by state legislatures or state ratifying conventions.
The Supreme Court decides Constitutional issues of state law on a case-by-case basis and only when strictly necessary. Article III describes the court system, including the kinds of cases the court takes as original jurisdiction. The article also protects the right to a trial by jury in all criminal cases.
The Constitution has been amended 27 times since it became operational in 1789. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, offer protections of individual liberty and justice and restrict the powers of the government. The majority of the later amendments expand individual civil rights protections, address federal authority, and modify government processes.
