United States Constitution
Origins and historical context
The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. It was drafted by a convention of delegates from twelve of the thirteen original colonies in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787. The convention was called in response to dissatisfaction with the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States. The Constitution replaced the Articles, establishing a stronger federal government with more powers.
Preamble
The Preamble to the United States Constitution is a brief introductory statement of the Constitution's fundamental purposes and guiding principles. It states in general terms, and courts have referred to it as reliable evidence of the Founding Fathers' intentions regarding the Constitution's meaning and what they hoped the Constitution would achieve.
Articles of the Constitution
The Constitution is organized into three parts. The first part, the Preamble, describes the purpose of the document and the Federal Government. The second part, the seven Articles, establishes how the Government is structured and how the Constitution can be changed. The third part, the Amendments, lists changes to the Constitution; the first 10 are called the Bill of Rights.
Article I - The Legislative Branch
Article I describes the design of the legislative branch of US Government — the United States Congress. It is divided into two sections, the Senate and the House of Representatives. It outlines the powers of the legislative branch, as well as the limitations on both federal and state legislative powers.
Article II - The Executive Branch
Article II outlines the duties, responsibilities, and powers of the President and the executive branch. It discusses the requirements for the office of the President, the election of the President, and the President's powers and duties.
Article III - The Judicial Branch
Article III establishes the judicial branch of the federal government. It defines treason and empowers the courts to handle cases involving federal law, disputes between states, and other specific areas of federal jurisdiction.
Article IV - The States
Article IV outlines the relations among the states and between each state and the federal government. It also provides for the admission of new states and the changing of state boundaries.
Article V - Amendment
Article V outlines the process for amending or changing the Constitution. It stipulates that amendments can be proposed either by Congress with a two-thirds vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a convention of states called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures.
Article VI - Debts, Supremacy, Oaths
Article VI establishes the Constitution, and the laws and treaties of the United States made in accordance with it, to be the supreme law of the land. It also requires all officers of the United States and of the states to swear an oath of allegiance to the United States and the Constitution when taking office.
Article VII - Ratification
Article VII sets forth the procedure for ratification, or acceptance, of the Constitution, requiring the agreement of state conventions representing nine of the thirteen states.
Amendments to the Constitution
The Constitution has been amended twenty-seven times. The first ten amendments, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, were ratified simultaneously. The following seventeen amendments were ratified separately.
Impact and interpretation
The United States Constitution has had a significant impact on the law and political culture of the United States. It has been used as a model for constitutions around the world. The interpretation of the Constitution is a topic of ongoing debate, particularly as it applies to an evolving and complex society.