Government CFE Constitution

Article 1

Design of the legislative branch.
Important ideas include: separation of powers, checks and balances, election of members into Congress, how laws are made, and the powers of Congress

Article 2

Places power in the hands of a president.
Describes how he is elected, how many years he serves, requirements to become the president, and lists his powers

Article 3

Establishes a Supreme Court.
States that the laws of the US are defined in the Constitution, and the Supreme Court has the power to settle disputes between individuals, states, and lower courts.

Article 4

Describes the rights of the individual states.
Citizens in every state share the same rights, all states function under a republican form of government, and describes the process for admitting new states into the Union.

Article 5

Grants Congress the power to amend the Constitution, if necessary, if 1/3 of Congress agrees OR
2/3 of the states can call a convention for proposing amendments.

Article 6

The Constitution is the law of the land.
All treaties, laws, and rulings will be the supreme law, which no state law or otherwise can contradict. Senators and Representatives must take an oath to uphold the Constitution.

Article 7

In order for the Constitution to be ratified and put into effect, 9 states much approve.

Eligibility for House

To be eligible for the House of Representatives, a person must be at least 25 years old, a citizen of the United States for at least seven years, and reside in the state they represent.

Eligibility for Senate

To be eligible for the Senate, a person must be at least 30 years old, a citizen of the United States for at least nine years, and reside in the state they represent.

Eligibility for President

To be eligible for the presidency, a person must be at least 35 years old, a natural-born citizen of the United States, and a resident of the country for at least 14 years.

Commerce Clause

A provision in the Constitution that grants Congress the power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce. Article 1, Section 8.

Necessary and Proper Clause

A clause in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution that allows Congress to make laws necessary to execute its enumerated powers, also known as the Elastic Clause.

Supremacy Clause

A constitutional provision establishing that federal law takes precedence over state laws. Article 1, Section 8.

Habeus Corupus

A legal principle that protects against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment, requiring a person to be brought before a judge or court. Article 1, Section 9.

Full Faith and Credit Clause

A clause in Article IV of the Constitution that requires states to recognize the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state.

Due Process Clause

A constitutional guarantee that legal proceedings must be conducted fairly and that individuals have their rights respected. Found in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.

Equal Protection Clause

A provision in the Fourteenth Amendment that requires states to treat individuals equally under the law, prohibiting discrimination.