Structure of the Constitution
Structure of the Constitution
• The Constitution of the United States
– organizes the basic political institutions of the country
• Introduction to the Constitution is the Preamble
– Outlines the goals of the government
• 7 articles that are split into sections
• Contains 27 amendments
– Divides powers between the nation and the states
– Divides the government into 3 separate branches
• Creates separation of powers
• Provides checks and balances
Article 1: Legislative Branch
• Article 1
– The legislative branch
• Makes the laws
• Broken into 10 sections
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Congress
House of reps
Senate
Elections and Sessions
Housekeeping
Pay and Privileges
Legislation
Enumerated Powers
Restrictions on Congress
Restrictions on the states
Article 2: Executive Branch
• Article 2:
– Executive Branch
• Enforces the laws
• 4 sections
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President and Vice President
Presidential Powers
Executive Responsibility(enforce laws/pass treaties)
Impeachment
Article 3: Judicial Branch
• Article 3
– Judicial Branch
• Interprets the laws
• 3 sections
– Federal courts
» Supreme Court is the supreme law of the land, or the highest court in the land
– Jurisdiction and judicial reviews
– Treason
Article 4
Articles 4-7: The Federal System
#1: Full faith and
Credit
Article 5:
Article 6:
• Amending the
Constitution
• The Supreme law of the
land
Article 7:
Amendments:
• Ratification
• Changes to the
Constitution
• First 10 aka. Bill of Rights
#2:Privileges and
Immunities
#3: Equal Footing
#4: The
Guarantee
Clause
Review
The Constitution is Composed of
Preamble
Articles 1-7
Bill of rights/amendments
Articles 1-3
Legislative branch
Executive Branch
Articles 4-7
Making the Federal system work
Judicial Branch
Separation of Powers in the
Constitution
Legislative Branch
Makes laws
Executive Branch
Enforces laws
Judicial Branch
Interprets laws
• Article 1
• #1: all legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in
a Congress, which consists of a Senate and a House of
Rep.s
• Article 2
• #1: The executive power shall be vested in a President of
the USA
• Article 3
• #1: The judicial power of the US, shall be vested in one
Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as the
Congress may from time to time ordain and establish
Article 1: Legislative Branch
• Powers and functions given to the legislative
branch include:
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Lay and collect taxes
Borrow money
Regulate commerce(interstate)
Coin money
Establish post offices
Declare war
Raise and support the military
Make all “necessary and proper”(This is known as the Elastic Clause) laws
Article 2: Executive Branch
• Powers and functions given to the Executive
branch include:
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Commander-in-chief of the Army and Navy
Granting pardons
Making treaties
Appointing ambassadors(cabinet heads, judges to the Supreme Court)
Make temporary appointments to offices that require
Senate approval
– Deliver State of the Union message
– “take care that the laws be faithfully executed”
(to the Senate to keep them informed)
Article 3: Judicial Branch
• Powers and functions given to the Judicial
branch include:
– Right to handle “cases arising under this
Constitution”
– Judicial review
• Power to void laws
Review
Legislative
Branch
• Makes laws
• “necessary
& proper”
Executive
Branch
• Enforce laws
• “faithfully
execute”
Judicial Branch
• Interpret laws
• Judicial
Review
Checks and Balances
Legislative
Checks on executive branch Checks on Judicial branch
Checks on itself
• Impeachment
• Override president vetoes(2/3
majority)
• Senate approve president
appointments
• Senate approve treaties
• Declare war
• Enact taxes & allocate funds
• President report on the state of
the Union to Congress
• Bills must be passed by both
chambers of Congress
• House must originate revenue
bills
• Neither chamber may adjourn
for than 3+ days without consent
of the other
• Senate approves federal judges
• Impeachment
• Initiate constitutional
amendments(21)
• Set jurisdiction of courts
Checks and Balances
Executive
Checks on legislative
branch
• President has veto power
• Call special sessions of Congress
• Recommend laws
• President is commander-in-chief
of the military
Checks on Judicial branch
• Appoint judges
• Pardon for federal crimes
Checks and Balances
Judicial
Checks on legislative branch Checks on executive branch
• Judicial review
• Declare laws unconstitutional
• Seats are held on “good
behavior”
• Compensation can’t be
diminished
• Judicial review
• Declare executive orders
unconstitutional
• Chief justice presides during
impeachment of the president
• Lifetime appointments
Review
Checks
Checks
Checks
Executive
Legislative
Legislative
Judicial
Judicial
Executive
• The first 10 amendments to the Constitution
are known as __________.
• D.
• the Bill of Rights
• The introduction of the US Constitution is
called the
• Preamble
• All of the following statements about Article
II of the Constitution are TRUE except:
• A.
• Article II is broken into ten sections.
• The __________ in the Constitution gives
Congress the flexibility to make all
“necessary and proper” laws.
• D.
• Elastic Clause
• All of the following statements about the Constitution are
TRUE except:
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B.
It divides powers between the nation and states.
C.
It divides the government into three separate branches.
D.
It organizes the basic political parties found within the
country.
• What is judicial review?
• A.
• The power of the Judicial Branch to review
laws, Executive orders, and Executive acts to
ensure that they are Constitutional.
• The introduction to the Constitution is called
__________.
• B.
• the Preamble
• All of the following statements about Article I
of the Constitution are TRUE except:
• D.
• Article I gives the Senate authority over the
House of Representatives.
• Which document, signed by King John in
1215, was important for the United States
government?
• C.
• the Magna Carta
• Bill of Rights: The first ten amendments to the
Constitution.
• checks and balances:Limits imposed on each branch of
government by giving each branch a measure of influence
over the other branches.
• separation of powers: The doctrine that individual
branches of government have unique powers that the
other branches cannot infringe upon.
• void: To invalidate, nullify.
• Interstate: So state-to-state, also foreign commerce.
• Commerce: is trade.
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• #1: Meaning that laws in other states have to be respected. #2:
Citizens of one state are protected when they go into others. #3: No
one's status is larger or more powerful than another. #4: The
guarantee clause guaranteed a republican government will be in the
states.
• Article VI is the Supremacy Clause where the Constitution is the
supreme law of the land.
• Article VII we wrote the Constitution, the founding fathers at the
Constitutional Convention, then they put in
• Article VII what needs to be done to pass this and make it official.
• Amendments are changes to the Constitution The first 10 are
known as the Bill of Rights. Those are James Madison's creations to
protect our liberties and freedoms.