Simone Lawson
The rules for the capital in the US Constitution are outlined in Article I, Section 8, which states that Congress has the power to exercise exclusive legislation over the capital, limiting local self-government by the District of Columbia's residents. The District of Columbia, or Washington D.C., is the federal capital and the Constitution grants the United States Congress exclusive jurisdiction over the district. The Residence Act of 1790 provided for a new permanent capital to be located on the Potomac River, with the initial shape of the federal district being a square measuring 10 miles on each side.
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What You'll Learn
Capitalisation of 'Constitution' when referring to a specific country's constitution
The general rule for capitalising "constitution" depends on whether it is being used as a common noun or a proper noun. "Constitution" is not a proper noun, so it should not be capitalised. However, when referring to a specific country's constitution, it is common to treat it as a proper noun and thus capitalise it. For example, "In China's 1978 Constitution, we can see that..."
This convention of capitalising "constitution" when referring to a specific country's constitution is often applied to the United States Constitution, where "Constitution" is frequently capitalised with or without the "U.S." prefix. This is due to the American veneration for their political system's institutions, which has elevated the term "constitution" to the status of a proper noun in this context.
It is worth noting that some style guides and publications, such as the UK's Guardian newspaper, may choose to deviate from this convention and not capitalise "constitution" even when referring to a specific country's constitution. Ultimately, the decision to capitalise or not is influenced by style and context, and there may be variations between different countries and publications.
Additionally, it is important to distinguish between the use of "constitution" as a noun and as an adjective. When used as an adjective, "constitution" should always be written in lowercase, regardless of the context. For example, "federal constitutional law" or "our group needs a better constitution."
In summary, when referring to a specific country's constitution, it is generally acceptable to capitalise "constitution" as it is treated as a proper noun in this context. However, there may be variations in style and context, and it is always lowercase when used as an adjective.
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Capitalisation of 'constitutional'
The rules for capitalisation in relation to constitutions vary depending on the context and the style guide being used.
When referring to the US Constitution, it is common to capitalise "Constitution" as a proper noun. This is because it is a named document and is often treated as a shorthand reference to the full title, "The Constitution of the United States of America" or "The US Constitution". The same rule applies when referring to other countries' constitutions by their full name, for example, "The Wisconsin Constitution". However, when referring to a constitution in a generic sense, it is written in lowercase as a common noun, for example, "the constitution". Additionally, the adjective "constitutional" is not capitalised, as in the phrase "federal constitutional law".
In the context of government, the word "government" is capitalised when referring to a sovereign nation, such as "the Government's duty to its citizens". Government departments, such as the "Federal Bureau of Investigation", are also capitalised. When it comes to specific legislation, capitalisation rules vary. For example, the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and First Amendment are capitalised, while other acts may not be.
It is important to note that different style guides may have slightly different rules for capitalisation. For example, the UK's Guardian newspaper often chooses not to capitalise terms like "president" or "queen", even when referring to specific individuals.
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Capitalisation of 'government'
The rules for capitalisation when referring to government vary depending on the context and the style guide being used. Here are some guidelines for capitalising terms related to government:
Capitalisation of "Government"
The word "government" should be capitalised when referring to a specific sovereign nation's government, such as "the Government's duty to its citizens." However, it is not capitalised when used in a general sense or as an adjective.
Capitalisation of Government Departments and Terms
Government department names, such as the "Federal Bureau of Investigation," are typically capitalised. This capitalisation rule also applies to certain government terms like "the cabinet," "administration," and "federal."
Capitalisation of "Constitution"
The word "constitution" is generally not a proper noun and should not be capitalised. However, when referring to a specific country's constitution, such as the "US Constitution," it is often capitalised as a sign of respect for the document. This capitalisation rule also applies to other important documents, such as the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.
Capitalisation in Legal Documents
In legal documents, specific rules dictate capitalisation. For example, in briefs to a trial court, references to the US Supreme Court ("the Court"), a court by its proper name ("the Wisconsin Supreme Court"), and the court reading the brief ("this Court should find") are all capitalised. Additionally, references to parties in the current action, such as "Defendant Carlson" and "Plaintiff Jordan," are also capitalised.
Capitalisation of the National Capital
The capitalisation of the national capital varies depending on the country and context. In the United States, the "District of Columbia" is often capitalised as it is a proper noun referring to a specific location. However, the word "capital" may not be capitalised when used in a general sense or as an adjective.
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Capitalisation of government departments
The rules for capitalisation depend on the context and the style guide being used. For example, the UK's Guardian newspaper chooses not to capitalise 'constitution' unless it is referring specifically to the American Constitution. In this case, the US Constitution is capitalised, as are other specific acts and legislation, such as the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the First Amendment.
When referring to government departments, the rule is to capitalise them, for example, the 'Federal Bureau of Investigation'. The word 'government' itself is also capitalised when referring to a sovereign nation, for example, 'the US Government'. The same rule applies to terms like 'the Cabinet', 'the Administration', and Federal. However, 'government' is not capitalised when used as an adjective.
When referring to a specific country's constitution, it is generally treated as a proper noun and is capitalised, for example, 'the US Constitution'. When referring to a constitution in a generic sense, it is not capitalised, for example, 'the constitution of a country outlines the rules and principles by which it is governed'. The adjective 'constitutional' is also not capitalised.
In legal briefs and documents, there are specific rules for capitalisation. For example, in the US, the 'Bluebook' style guide is often used, which dictates that specific courts, acts, and parties are capitalised. In the UK, 'The Chicago Manual of Style' is a popular reference for capitalisation rules.
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Capitalisation of 'Constitution' when referring to a specific document
The general rule is that 'constitution' is not a proper noun and should not be capitalised. However, when referring to a specific country's constitution, it is often treated as a proper noun and is capitalised. For example, "In China's 1978 Constitution, we can observe that...".
The US Constitution is almost always capitalised, even when used in a sentence without the country specification, such as "The Constitution grants Congress certain powers...". This is due to the American reverence for their political system, which has elevated the term to proper noun status.
When referring to a named document, committee, or similar entity, it is common to capitalise a common word in the official title when used as a shorthand name. For instance, "The Constitution of the United States of America" or "The US Constitution" would be abbreviated to "the Constitution".
It is worth noting that the decision to capitalise or not is often codified in media style guides, and different publications may have varying approaches. For example, the UK's Guardian newspaper often chooses not to capitalise these terms, even for UK institutions, unless it is the first word in a sentence.
Additionally, when referring to a constitution as an adjective, it should be written in lowercase, for example, "federal constitutional law".
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Frequently asked questions
Technically, "constitution", like "president", is not a proper noun, so it shouldn't be capitalized. However, when referring to a specific country's constitution, it is common to treat it as a proper noun and capitalize it. For example, "the US Constitution" or "the UK Constitution".
When referring to the government's document, it is common to capitalize the word "constitution". In this context, it is treated as a proper noun. However, when using "constitution" as an adjective, it is written in lowercase.
The District of Columbia, or Washington, D.C., is the federal capital of the United States. The US Constitution grants the United States Congress exclusive jurisdiction over the District, allowing them to overturn local laws and exercise greater oversight than in other states.
The Residence Act of July 16, 1790, provided for a new permanent capital to be located on the Potomac River. It also established a three-member board of commissioners, appointed by the President, to oversee the construction of the new capital. This new federal city was called the City of Washington.
