Isabella Carter
The United States Constitution is composed of a preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights. The preamble, which begins with the words We the People, sets the stage for the rest of the Constitution. It outlines the intentions of the framers and the purpose of the document, which is to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for the people of the United States.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Preamble | We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. |
| Number of Articles | 7 |
| Number of Amendments | 27 |
| First 10 Amendments | The Bill of Rights |
| Number of Words in the Preamble | 52 |
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What You'll Learn
The Preamble
The phrase "to form a more perfect Union" is particularly noteworthy as it highlights the intention to create a stronger and more unified nation. This phrase acknowledges the existence of the previous governing document, the Articles of Confederation, and expresses a desire to improve upon it by forming a more cohesive and effective union of the states.
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Articles
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. The articles are as follows:
Article One
Article One establishes the legislative branch of the federal government, the US Congress. It vests all federal legislative power in Congress, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It outlines the composition and powers of both houses, including the process for passing bills, the powers to impose taxes and regulate interstate commerce, and the authority to oversee federal elections.
Article Two
Article Two establishes the executive branch of the federal government, headed by the President of the United States. It outlines the powers and responsibilities of the President, including the role as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, the ability to appoint federal officers, and the power to make treaties with the advice and consent of the Senate. It also establishes the process for electing the President through the Electoral College and the qualifications for the office.
Article Three
Article Three establishes the judicial branch of the federal government, the US federal court system. It vests the judicial power in the Supreme Court and any lower courts established by Congress. It outlines the jurisdiction of the federal courts, including cases involving federal law, treaties, and ambassadors. It also establishes the crime of treason and outlines the procedure for impeachment of federal officers, including the President.
Article Four
Article Four establishes the relationship between the states and the federal government. It guarantees each state a republican form of government and protects states' rights, including the right to be protected from invasion and domestic violence. It also establishes the duty of states to extradite criminals to other states and ensures that the laws and acts of each state are given full faith and credit in other states.
Article Five
Article Five outlines the process for amending the Constitution. It provides two methods for proposing amendments: by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress or by a national convention requested by two-thirds of the state legislatures. It also establishes that amendments must be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures or by ratifying conventions in three-fourths of the states.
Article Six
Article Six establishes the supremacy of the Constitution and federal laws as "the supreme Law of the Land." It requires all state and federal officers to take an oath to support the Constitution and prohibits any religious test as a qualification for holding public office. It also ensures that the national debt and other obligations of the United States under the Articles of Confederation are valid under the new Constitution.
Article Seven
Article Seven establishes the procedure for ratifying the Constitution. It provides that the document would become effective when ratified by nine states, setting the stage for the establishment of the United States of America as a nation.
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Amendments
The US Constitution is composed of a preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments are collectively referred to as the Bill of Rights and were ratified on December 15, 1791.
The preamble, which famously begins with the words "We the People," sets the stage for the Constitution. It outlines the intentions of the framers and the purpose of the document, but it is not the law itself. The preamble communicates the basic principles that the authors of the Constitution agreed upon, including the establishment of justice, the assurance of domestic tranquility, the provision for the common defence, the promotion of general welfare, and the securing of liberty.
The seven articles that follow form the structural constitution and were signed on September 17, 1787, and ratified on June 21, 1788. These articles outline the structure and powers of the government, including the legislative powers vested in Congress, which consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives.
The 27 amendments to the Constitution represent changes and additions that have been made over time. While the first 10 amendments make up the Bill of Rights, the remaining 17 amendments address a range of issues and reflect the evolving nature of American society and values. For example, the 11th amendment, ratified in 1795, clarified the powers of federal courts and state governments, while the 19th amendment, ratified in 1920, guaranteed women's suffrage.
The process of amending the Constitution is outlined in Article Five of the original document. Amendments can be proposed by a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress or by a national convention called by Congress at the request of two-thirds of the state legislatures. Regardless of the method of proposal, amendments must be ratified by three-quarters of the state legislatures or by special ratifying conventions in three-quarters of the states to become part of the Constitution.
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Ratification
The ratification process for the U.S. Constitution was a critical step in its adoption and implementation. Ratification refers to the formal approval and confirmation of the Constitution by the people or their representatives. In the case of the U.S. Constitution, ratification occurred at the state level, with special conventions called in each state to debate and vote on whether to ratify the document.
The process of ratification began after the Constitutional Convention concluded its work on September 17, 1787. The document was then sent to the states for their consideration. The ratification process was not uniform across the states, and each state followed its own procedures and timelines. Some states, such as Delaware and New Jersey, ratified the Constitution quickly, while others, such as Massachusetts and Virginia, took more time to debate and adopt the document.
The ratification process was not without controversy. One of the key issues was the lack of a bill of rights, which some Anti-Federalists argued was necessary to protect individual liberties. As a compromise, it was agreed that a Bill of Rights would be added to the Constitution as amendments shortly after ratification. This compromise helped secure the support of some wavering states and ensured the Constitution's eventual adoption.
By June 21, 1788, the necessary nine out of thirteen states had ratified the Constitution, and it officially became the law of the land. The remaining four states later ratified the document as well, with the final state, Rhode Island, doing so in May 1790. The Bill of Rights, comprising the first ten amendments, was ratified on December 15, 1791, fulfilling the promise made during the ratification process to protect individual liberties.
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Separation of Powers
The US Constitution establishes three separate but equal branches of government: the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch. Each branch has its distinct powers and responsibilities, and they work together to balance power and prevent any single branch from becoming too powerful. This system of checks and balances is known as the separation of powers.
The legislative branch is responsible for making laws. In the US Constitution, legislative power is vested in Congress, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives is composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the various states. Each house has the authority to determine its rules, manage its members, and conduct its business.
The executive branch enforces the laws made by the legislative branch. The US Constitution vests executive power in the President, who becomes the Commander-in-Chief of the military and has the power to make treaties, appointments, and ensure the execution of laws. The President cannot, however, usurp the lawmaking powers of Congress.
The judicial branch interprets the laws and ensures their fair application. The US Constitution grants judicial power to the Supreme Court and any lower courts created by Congress. The Supreme Court has played a crucial role in upholding the separation of powers by ruling on cases where one branch has allegedly usurped the authority of another.
While the Constitution does not explicitly mention the term "separation of powers", the Framers intentionally structured the government this way to preserve individual liberty and create a system of checks and balances. They sought to ensure that each branch maintained some independence while also being interdependent and sharing power. This design allows for a stable democracy where no single branch dominates, and the rights and freedoms of citizens are protected.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution is composed of the Preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights.
The Preamble is an introduction to the US Constitution, which is the country's highest law. It communicates the intentions of the framers and the purpose of the document. It is 52 words long and begins with "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice...".
The seven articles make up the structural constitution and were signed on September 17, 1787, and ratified on June 21, 1788.
