Isabella Carter
The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is composed of a preamble and seven articles that outline the structure and operations of the government. The first three articles establish the three branches of government: the legislative, executive, and judicial. The Constitution also outlines the process for amending the document, the relationship between the federal government and the states, and the protection of individual liberties of American citizens.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Articles | 7 |
| Number of Amendments | 27 |
| First 10 Amendments | Known as the Bill of Rights |
| First 3 Articles | Establish the three branches of government and their powers: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial |
| System of Checks and Balances | Prevents any one of the three branches from becoming dominant |
| Amendment Process | Requires a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the state legislatures or conventions |
| Federalism | Describes the relationship between the Federal Government and the states |
| Supremacy Clause | Establishes the Constitution as the supreme law of the land, above state and local laws |
| Ratification Process | Requires ratification by nine states to enact the Constitution |
| Judicial Appointments | Federal judges are appointed for life unless they commit a serious crime |
| State Powers | States have the authority to create and enforce their own laws while also respecting and enforcing the laws of other states |
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What You'll Learn
- Establishes a national government with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial
- Divides power between federal government and states
- Protects individual liberties of citizens
- Outlines the process for amending the Constitution
- Defines the roles and responsibilities of each branch of government
Establishes a national government with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial
The United States Constitution establishes a national government with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The first three articles of the Constitution embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, dividing the federal government into these three branches.
The legislative branch, consisting of the bicameral Congress (the House of Representatives and the Senate), is responsible for making laws. The executive branch, consisting of the President and subordinate officers, has powers such as the ability to grant pardons and reprieves, make treaties, and appoint federal judges, ambassadors, and other public officers. The President is also the Commander in Chief of the Army. The judicial branch, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts created by Congress, interprets the laws and ensures justice is served.
A system of checks and balances prevents any one of these separate powers from becoming dominant. Most important actions require the participation of more than one branch of government. For example, while Congress passes laws, the President can veto them. Similarly, while the President has the power to appoint federal judges, these judges are appointed for life and are not answerable to the President, maintaining their independence.
The Constitution also outlines the relationship between the federal government and the states. It establishes extradition between the states and lays down a legal basis for freedom of movement and travel among the states. It guarantees to each state a republican form of government and protects them from invasion and violence. It also outlines states' powers in relation to each other, including their authority to create and enforce their own laws while respecting and helping to enforce the laws of other states.
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Divides power between federal government and states
The United States Constitution divides power between the federal government and the states. The Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Constitution's first three articles embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, dividing the federal government into three branches: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial.
The legislative branch is made up of the bicameral Congress, consisting of 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 created by Congress.
The Constitution outlines the powers and responsibilities of each branch of government and establishes a system of checks and balances to prevent any one branch from becoming dominant. For example, Congress passes laws, but the President can veto them. Similarly, the President is the Commander in Chief of the Army and has the power to grant pardons and make treaties, but Congress has the last word on many disputes and can pass laws over the President's veto.
The Constitution also describes the relationship between the federal government and the states. States have the authority to create and enforce their own laws, but they must respect and help enforce the laws of other states. Congress may pass federal laws regarding how states honor the laws of other states. The Constitution establishes federal law as supreme, meaning that if a state law conflicts with a federal law, federal law takes precedence.
The process for amending the Constitution is outlined in Article V. Amending the Constitution is intentionally made difficult to prevent hasty changes to the framework of the government. An amendment must first pass both houses of Congress by a two-thirds majority and then be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures or state conventions.
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Protects individual liberties of citizens
The United States Constitution is a bold democratic experiment that has proven stable and flexible enough to survive and remain effective in a world totally different from the one in which it was written. The Constitution has three main functions, one of which is to protect individual liberties of American citizens.
The Constitution's framework owes much to the history that led to its drafting. The limitations placed on the federal government and each of its branches were a reaction to the tyranny of British rule, and especially the tyranny of the single monarch. The breadth of the national government’s powers were a correction to the weak government of the Articles of Confederation, which had proved incapable of forging the thirteen original states into one nation.
The Constitution establishes a system of checks and balances designed to avoid the tyranny of any one branch. Most important actions require the participation of more than one branch of government. For example, Congress passes laws, but the President can veto them.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights. The Fourteenth Amendment contains the equal protection clause, which protects citizens from discrimination by the states on the basis of race, sex, and other characteristics. The protections of these amendments were originally interpreted to apply only against the federal government, but the Supreme Court has since ruled that most of them were made applicable to the states by the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment's due process clause after the Civil War.
The Constitution also establishes extradition between the states, as well as laying down a legal basis for freedom of movement and travel among the states.
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Outlines the process for amending the Constitution
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 of the United States contains a preamble and seven articles that describe the way the government is structured and how it operates.
Article V outlines the process for amending the Constitution. The process for amending the Constitution is different and more difficult than the process for making laws. An amendment must first pass both houses of Congress by a two-thirds majority. This means that two-thirds of the Senate and two-thirds of the House of Representatives must vote to change the Constitution. Once this happens, an amendment goes to the state legislatures for a vote. Three-fourths of the state legislatures or state conventions must vote in favor of an amendment to ratify it.
Alternatively, two-thirds of the state legislatures can submit an application to Congress, and then Congress calls a national convention at which states propose amendments. This was the process outlined in Article VII of the proposed Constitution, which called for ratification by nine of the 13 states—a two-thirds majority. This process ignored the amendment provision of the Articles of Confederation, which required unanimous approval of all the states.
The Constitution has been amended 27 times, beginning with the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments, ratified on December 15, 1791. The protections of these amendments were originally interpreted to apply only against the federal government. However, the Supreme Court has since ruled that most of them were made applicable to the states by passage of the Fourteenth Amendment due process clause after the Civil War.
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Defines the roles and responsibilities of each branch of government
The United States Constitution establishes a national government consisting of three branches: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial. Each branch has distinct roles and responsibilities, which are outlined as follows:
Legislative Branch (Congress)
The Legislative Branch, as the name suggests, is responsible for making laws. Congress is divided into two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Each house has specific rules and procedures, with the power to determine its own membership qualifications, expel members, and punish members for disorderly behaviour. Additionally, each house keeps a journal of its proceedings, with the option to keep certain parts confidential.
Executive Branch (Office of the President)
The President, as the head of the Executive Branch, holds significant powers and responsibilities. They are the Commander-in-Chief of the Army and have the authority to grant pardons and reprieves. With the advice and consent of the Senate, the President can make treaties, appoint federal judges, ambassadors, and other public officers. The President also has the power to veto laws passed by Congress, although Congress can override this veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both houses.
Judicial Branch (Federal Court System)
The Judicial Branch is responsible for interpreting and applying the law. It consists of the Supreme Court and other federal courts created by Congress. Federal judges are appointed for life unless they commit serious crimes. The Judicial Branch plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of power between the branches, as it can review and determine the constitutionality of laws and actions taken by the other branches.
The Constitution's establishment of these three branches, with their distinct roles and responsibilities, ensures a system of checks and balances designed to prevent any one branch from holding too much power. This system promotes a balanced and effective governance structure for the nation.
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