The United States Constitution
The six basic principles on which the Constitution was framed.
1. That all States would be equal. The National Government cannot give special privileges to one State.
2. That there should be three branches of Government--one to make the laws, another to execute them, and a third to
Interpret them.
3. That the Government is a government of laws, not of men. No one is above the law. No officer of the Government can
Use 2uthority unless and except as the Constitution or public law permits.
4. That all men are equal before the law and that anyone, rich or poor, can demand the protection of the law.
5. That the people can change the authority of the Government by changing (amending) the Constitution. (One such
Change provided for the election of Senators by direct popular vote instead of by State legislatures).
6. That the Constitution, and the laws of the United States and treaties made pursuant to it, are "the supreme Law of the
Land."
Source: "Our American Government" us Govt Printing Office, 2000.
Main Parts
I. The Preamble ("We the people"= empowers nation not individual states.) Demonstrates the purpose of
our government.
1. (7) Articles lay down the framework for functioning the govt.
2. (10) Amendments = Bill of Rights -Protect our individual liberties
3. (17) Additional Amendments - show the flexibility of the document in responding to the changing
needs of our society.
II ARTICLES
A. Article 1 (describes the organization and powers of Congress or the Legislative Branch).
1. Est. 2 houses (bicameral).
2. Methods for electing members to each house
3. Lists the qualifications for election
4. Provides the procedure for making laws.
B. Article II (Executive Branch / Office of the President and Vice President).
1. Presidents power
2. Terms
3. Qualifications
4. Method of electing Pres. and VP (electoral college).
5. Impeachment process
C. Article III (Judicial Branch I Supreme Court and lower courts)
1. Term of office for federal judges
2. Congress's power to establish new courts
3. Jurisdiction over cases
D. Article IV (Interstate relations)
1. Extraditions.
E. Article V (The Amendment Process)
F. Article VI (Supremacy Clause)
1. National laws are supreme over state laws
2. Secular clause - religion may never be a qualification for holding public office
G. Article VII (concerns the ratification process and is no longer in force)
III. Bill of Rights (first 10 amendments)
1. Protects people citizens from the power of the federal govt.
Amendment # 1
Amendment #2
Amendment #3
Amendment #4
Amendment #5
Amendment #6
Amendment #7
Amendment #8
Amendment #9
Amendment # 1 0
IV. Amendments 11- 26.
12th modifies
13th abolishes
14th guarantees
15th guarantees
16th allows
17th allows
19th voting rights to
26tft voting rights to