
Article I of the United States Constitution outlines the design of the legislative branch of the federal government, the United States Congress. It establishes Congress as a bicameral legislature, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and grants Congress enumerated powers, including the ability to pass laws necessary and proper to carry out those powers. Article I also sets out the procedures for passing a bill, the election of Senators and Representatives, and the powers that Congress has, such as the ability to declare war, raise and support armies, and define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Article of the U.S. Constitution | Article I |
| Branch of the federal government | Legislative |
| Congress composition | Bicameral legislature consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate |
| Congress powers | Enumerated powers, ability to pass laws, procedures for passing a bill, and limits on powers |
| Congress members | Senators and Representatives |
| Congress member qualifications | Be at least 25 years old, a citizen of the United States for at least seven years, and an inhabitant of the state they represent |
| Congress member elections | Chosen by the people of the states, with each person's vote carrying equal weight |
| Congress member term length | Representatives are chosen every second year |
| Congress meeting frequency | At least once a year, on the first Monday in December, unless a different day is appointed by law |
| Congress role in federal judiciary | Authority to constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court |
| Congress role in war | Power to declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water |
| Congress role in military funding | Can raise and support armies, but appropriations for this use are limited to a term of two years |
Explore related products
$9.99 $9.99
$1.64 $1.99
$18.22 $19.99
What You'll Learn
- Article I describes the design of the legislative branch of the US government, Congress
- Article I establishes Congress's enumerated powers and ability to pass laws
- Article I outlines the process by which laws are made
- Article I establishes the election of Senators and Representatives
- Article III, Section I establishes the federal judiciary, with Congress deciding how to organise the Supreme Court

Article I describes the design of the legislative branch of the US government, Congress
Article I of the US Constitution outlines the structure and powers of the legislative branch of the US government, known as Congress. It establishes Congress as a bicameral legislature, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Article I grants Congress the authority to pass laws deemed "necessary and proper" to carry out its powers. This includes the power to declare war, raise and support armies, define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and make rules concerning captures on land and water. It also outlines the process of lawmaking, including the requirement for a majority to constitute a quorum to do business.
The article also addresses the election of Senators and Representatives, stipulating that Representatives shall be chosen every second year by the people of the states, with each state's electors having the qualifications required for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislature. It sets qualifications for Representatives, including a minimum age of 25, citizenship requirements, and residency in the state they represent.
Additionally, Article I establishes the separation of powers between the branches of government, ensuring checks and balances to prevent the abuse of power. It grants Congress the power to constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court and outlines the rules and procedures that Congress must follow, including the keeping of a journal of its proceedings.
Overall, Article I provides a comprehensive framework for the organization and functioning of the legislative branch of the US government, ensuring a balanced and effective system of governance.
GDPR: What's Not Personal Data?
You may want to see also

Article I establishes Congress's enumerated powers and ability to pass laws
Article I of the US Constitution establishes Congress's powers and ability to pass laws. This article describes the design of the legislative branch of the US government, including the separation of powers between the branches of government, the election of Senators and Representatives, the law-making process, and the powers that Congress holds.
Article I grants all legislative powers to 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 states, with each state's electors meeting the qualifications required for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislature. To be a Representative, one must be at least 25 years old, have been a US citizen for at least seven years, and be an inhabitant of the state they represent.
Article I also outlines the powers of Congress, including the ability to pass laws necessary for executing the powers vested in the US government. Congress can declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water. It can also raise and support armies, but appropriations for this purpose cannot exceed two years. Additionally, Congress can constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court, define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and address offences against the law of nations.
Furthermore, Article I addresses the regulation of state elections and the determination of congressional district sizes. It includes the Three-Fifths Compromise, which counted three-fifths of the slave population for enumeration and representation in the House of Representatives. This compromise was later superseded by the Fourteenth Amendment. Article I also outlines the requirements for Congress to assemble at least once a year and the rules for each House's proceedings, including the maintenance of a journal of its proceedings.
Exploring the Isomeric Diversity of C6H14 Compounds
You may want to see also

Article I outlines the process by which laws are made
Article I of the US Constitution outlines the process by which laws are made. It describes the design of the legislative branch of the US government, which is the Congress. It establishes that all legislative powers granted shall be vested in the Congress, which consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The House of Representatives is composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the states, with each state's electors needing to have the qualifications required for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislature. Representatives must be at least 25 years old, have been citizens of the US for at least seven years, and be inhabitants of the state they are chosen to represent.
Article I also outlines the powers that Congress has, including the ability to make all laws necessary for carrying into execution the powers vested by the Constitution in the US government. This includes the power to tax or impose duties on the migration or importation of persons, though this was originally limited by a deadline of 1808 and a maximum tax of $10 per person.
Article I also establishes that no money can be drawn from the Treasury without appropriations made by law, and that a regular statement of accounts of public money must be published. It also outlines the powers of Congress with respect to the states, such as the ability to declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water.
Additionally, Article I outlines the internal procedures of Congress, including the requirement for each House to be the judge of the elections, returns, and qualifications of its members, and the ability of each House to determine the rules of its proceedings. It also establishes that each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, with the yeas and nays of members to be entered into the journal at the desire of one-fifth of those present.
The First Steps of Nations: Government Plans and Names
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$11.99 $17.99

Article I establishes the election of Senators and Representatives
Article I of the US Constitution establishes the election of Senators and Representatives, outlining the design of the legislative branch of the US government, which is Congress. It establishes that Congress consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives.
The House of Representatives is composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states, and the electors in each state must have the qualifications required for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislature. No person can be a Representative unless they are at least twenty-five years old, have been a US citizen for at least seven years, and are an inhabitant of the state in which they are chosen when elected. Representatives and direct taxes are apportioned among the several states included in the Union according to their respective numbers.
The Senate of the United States is composed of two Senators from each state, chosen by the Legislature for six-year terms, and each Senator has one vote. The Seventeenth Amendment, ratified in 1913, superseded the original requirement that state legislatures elect members of the Senate, providing instead for the direct election of Senators.
Article I also establishes that Congress shall assemble at least once a year, and this meeting shall be on the first Monday in December unless a different day is appointed by law.
Harvard's Guide: Understanding Plagiarism and Using Sources
You may want to see also

Article III, Section I establishes the federal judiciary, with Congress deciding how to organise the Supreme Court
Article III, Section I of the US Constitution establishes the federal judiciary, with Congress empowered to decide how to organise the Supreme Court. This section states that "The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish."
This means that while the Constitution establishes the Supreme Court, it gives Congress the authority to determine its structure and create lower federal courts. The Supreme Court is the only federal court explicitly established by the Constitution. The power to organise the Supreme Court was first exercised by Congress in the Judiciary Act of 1789, which created a Supreme Court with six justices and established the lower federal court system.
Over time, various Acts of Congress have changed the number of seats on the Supreme Court, ranging from five to ten justices. After the Civil War, the number was fixed at nine, comprising one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices, which remains the current composition.
Article III, Section I also addresses the tenure and compensation of federal judges. It establishes that federal judges serve for life during good behaviour and their salaries cannot be decreased during their continuance in office. This provision ensures the independence of the judiciary from political influence.
While Congress cannot amend the Supreme Court's original jurisdiction, it does have the power to shape its appellate jurisdiction, or the types of cases the Court can hear on appeal. This power has been exercised by Congress to exempt certain cases from the Supreme Court's appellate jurisdiction, such as suits for writs of habeas corpus by former Confederate soldiers after the Civil War.
The Constitution's Guard Against Tyranny: A Historical Essay
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
You can find details about Congress in Article I of the US Constitution.
Article I of the US Constitution establishes the legislative branch of the federal government, the United States Congress. It also states that Congress is a bicameral legislature consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Article I grants Congress enumerated powers, including the power to pass laws "necessary and proper" to carry out those powers. It also establishes the procedures for passing a bill and places limits on the powers of Congress and the states from abusing their powers.
According to Article I, Section 2, a Representative must be at least 25 years old, a citizen of the United States for at least seven years, and an inhabitant of the state in which they are chosen.
Article I states that Congress shall assemble at least once every year, and such meetings shall be on the first Monday in December unless a different day is appointed by law.

























