Outline of the U.S. Constitution Date of celebration: September 17  Save as Bookmark  Send this Page to Friend. Citizenship Day Of USA Home   Citizenship Day Celebrations   Citizenship Day Observances   History of Citizenship Day   Outline of the U.S. Constitution   Outline of the U.S. Constitution Preamble States the reasons for writing the U.S. constitution. They were to - form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our prosperity. The Articles The articles of the constitution defined what powers a branch did and did not have and how certain problems were to be handled. Article 1 The first article stated the powers of the three government branches. Section 1: The Legislative Branch This section stated that congress was to be made up of two parts, the Senate and the House of Represenatives. Section 2: The House of Represenatatives This section decides how often represenatives are chosen, how long a represenative can stay in office, how many represenatives per state,what will happen if a senator vacates his/her post, how a speaker is chosen, and the house's ability to impeach. Section 3: The Senate This states that has to senators in the senate, there will be a new election for one-third of the senate every 2 years, age and citizenship rules to become a senator, the Vice President is the president of senate, the senate shall choose their own officers and a president in case the Vice President cannot fill their duties, and senates power to impeach. Section 4: Organization of Congess Says the way of chosing senators and represenatives is up to the state alone, congress shall assemble at least once a year. Section 5: The House's Jobs Each house will be the judge of their own elections and qualifications of it members. Each house may determine the rules of it procedings, and punish it's members for disorderly behavior. Each House shall keep a journal of it's proceedings. Section 6: Money and War-Time Jobs States that each senator and represenative will receive compenstaion for services to their country to be paid out by the U.S. treasury. They will also be immune from arrest, except for treson, felony, and breach of the peace, during an attendance to a session of ther respective house, and traveling there and back. Last no senator or represenative will be put into any civil office during the time of war. Section 7: Bills All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Represenatives, any bill passed in the two houses will go to the president and pending approval become a law. If the presidents disapproves if a bill then it goes back to the house's and if two-thirds vote for it, it becomes a law. Section 8: Powers Granted to Congress Congress can: 1. Collects taxes, duties, imposts and excises to pay debts and proved defense. 2. Borrow money on credit of the United States. 3. Regulate commerace with foriegn nations. 4. Form Uniform law laws of nutrilization and bankruptcies throught the United States. 5. Coin money and fix the Standard wieghts and measurements. 6. Provide punishment for counterfeiting U.S. Money 7. Establish post offices and roads. 8. Promote useful stuff by giving copywrites. 9. Repeatedly say the Supreme Court is the Highest and your all inferior. 10. Punish Pirates of the High Seas. 11. Declare War 12. To raise and support armies 13. Provide and maintain a navy 14. Regulation of the government, and land and naval forces 15. To call forth the Militia to execute laws of the union 16. To provide organize and disciplining the militia. 17. To exercise legislation over all places owned by the U.S. 18. To make all laws that are necessary. Section 9: Powers Forbidden to Congress 1. Congress cannont prohibit the immigration of a person to the U.S. but can charge them money. 2. They cannont stop the process of Habeas Corpus. 3. No bill may be passed that punishes a person without a trial. 4. No direct tax shall be laid 5. No tax shall be put on items exported from any state. 6. No preferences shall be put on a port in one state to another 7. No money shall be taken from the treasury. 8. No titles of nobilty may be given. Section 10: Powers Forbidden to the States No state shall enter treaties, issue their own money, grantany title of nobility. No state shall lay duties on imports or expoert without the consent of congress. No state shall keep military without congress consent during time of peace. Article 2: The Executive Branch This article includes rules to be followed by the executive branch. Including, term limits, limits to become president, elections of the president, What to do if President is removed from office be it death, impeachment or other reason. Also states that the president will receive compensation for his service to the United States and is head of the Military. The president shall also from time to time give information about the state of the Uniion to Congress. Article 3: The Judicial Branch States that the supreme power in the court sysem is thesupreme court. All cases involving public officials must be presided over by the supreme court. In trials the person shall be tried in the state in which the crime was commited. Treason by a person shall only consist on them waging war on the United States. Only the person guilty of treason shall lose their life. Article 4: Relations of the States to Each Other Full faith and credit shall be givin from one state to another in the public acts, records, and judicial preceedings. A criminal fleeing from one state to another after crime, if apprehended, at the request of the executive authority of the state be returned to the state from which they fled. Federal-State Relations New states shall be admitted by congress, but no state can be formed under the control of another. Congress can dispose of or change any bounderies of one state whenever it is needed. Every state in the union is guaranteed a free Republican form of gevernment, and shall be protected against invasion.   Article 5: Amending the Constitution In congress whenever two/thirds of the house deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to the constitution. To become part of the constitution and amendment must be ratified, by the legilslatures of three-fourths of the states. Also they must be ratified in a reasonable amount of time. Article 6: National Debts, Supremacy Debts - All debts made before the ratification will be payed. Supremacy of the National Government - This states that Federal government has supreme power over state governments. That means if California made it a law that you had to go looting once a year all together it would be void because it's against federal law. Article 7: Ratifying the Constitution The constitution must be ratified by all states present in the 1777 to become law. Outline of Constitutional Amendments First Ten Amendments Ratified on Dec. 15, 1791 1. Every ciziten has the right to freedom of speech. 2. Every citizen has the right to bear arms. 3. No soldier in time of peace shall be quarted in a private citizens home without the homeowners consent. 4. Personnal property cannot be searched without warrant. 5. No person must testify against themselves in court of law. 6. A defendant has the right to a fair and speedy trial. 7. Every trial has the right to a jury. 8. No excessive bail or cruel and unusual punishment shall be used against a convicted criminal. 9. No one shall be denied their basic constitutional rights. 10. Power is to be retained by the states and people. Ratified Feb. 7, 1795 11. A citizen from one state cannot sue another in court. Ratified July 27, 1804 12. Electors will vote for president. Ratified Dec. 6 1865 13. Slavery is hearby abolihsed. Ratified July 9, 1868 14. Former slaves are now legal U.S. Citizens Ratified Feb. 3, 1870 15. African Americans now have the right to vote. Ratified Feb. 3, 1913 16. Congress shall have the power to lay taxes. Ratified April 8, 1913 17. Power for electing Senators is taken from state to state. Ratified Jan. 16, 1919 18. Prohibition - People cannot make, sell or transport liqour. (Repealed) Ratified Aug. 18 1920 19. Women can vote Ratified Jan. 23 1933 20. Puts term limits on the president and congress. Ratified Dec. 5, 1933 21. Repeal of Prohibition Ratified Feb. 27, 1951 22. Limits President to two terms Ratified Mar. 29, 1961 23. Women can vote in the District of Columbia Ratified Jan 23, 1964 24. Give right to Americans to vote in Primarys for public officials. Ratified Feb. 10, 1967 25. In case president cannot preform duties Vice-President takes over. Ratified July 1, 1971 26. 18 year-olds have the right to vote.