US Constitution Articles

Article 1 Section 1

Creates Congress and the two houses of Congress: the Senate and House of Representatives.

Article 1 Section 2

Defines the House of Representatives, known as the lower house of Congress. Must be 25 years old, and serve a term of two years. Must have been a citizen for 7 years. Each state gets Representatives based on the state's population. Has a leader called the Speaker of the House.

Article 1 Section 3

Defines the Senate, knows as the upper house of the Congress. Must be 30 years old, and serve a term of six years. Must have been a citizen for 9 years. Each state gets two Senators. Vice-President breaks tie votes.

Article 1 Section 4

Says that each state may establish its own methods for electing their members of Congress. Requires that Congress must meet at least once per year.

Article 1 Section 5

Says that Congress must have a minimum number of members present in order to meet. Fines may be charged for members who do not show up, and members may be expelled. Each house must keep a journal to record actions and votes. Neither house can adjourn without the permission of the other.

Article 1 Section 6

Establishes that members of Congress will be paid. They cannot be delayed while traveling to and from Congress. They cannot hold any other office in the government while in the Congress.

Article 1 Section 7

Explains how bills become law. All bills must pass both houses of Congress in the exact same form. That is, the House and the Senate must agree to the same wording on a bill before it is sent to the President. Bills that pass both houses are sent to the President. He can either sign the bill, in which case it becomes law, or he can veto it (Veto means that it is not signed to become a law). If he vetoes a bill, it is sent back to Congress, and if both houses pass it by a two-thirds majority, the bill becomes law despite the President's veto.

Article 1 Section 8

Gives Congress the power to establish and maintain an army and navy. Gives Congress the power to establish post offices, to create courts, to regulate commerce (business) between the states, to declare war, and to raise money (through taxes).

Article 1 Section 9

Cannot be held in jail without a reason of some kind. Cannot pass laws that make things illegal starting yesterday or last week, etc. No law can give preference to one state over another. Congress cannot spend money without permission.

Article 1 Section 10

States can't make their own money, declare war, or tax goods from other states.

Article 2 Section 1

Establishes the office of the President and the Vice-President. Both serve four year terms. Presidents are elected by the Electoral College. Must be 35 years old. Must be born in the USA. Their pay cannot change, up or down, as long as he is in office

Article 2 Section 2

The President leads the armed forces. He has a Cabinet (a group of advisors) to help him. The President can pardon (set free) criminals. He can make treaties (agreements) with other nations, but 2/3 of the Senate has to approve of the treaty. Chooses many of the judges and other members of the government.

Article 2 Section 3

President must give a yearly speech to the nation. Give suggestions to Congress, meet with Ambassadors and other heads of state from other nations, and ensure the laws of the United States are carried out.

Article 2 Section 4

Explains how to kick the president out of office, called impeachment.

Article 3 Section 1

Establishes the Supreme Court, the highest court in the United States. Judges are chosen serve for life, or until they want to retire.

Article 3 Section 2

Says what cases the Supreme Court must decide. It also guarantees trial by jury in criminal court.

Article 3 Section 3

Defines, without any question, the crime of treason (trying to overthrow your country's government or of helping your country's enemies during war).

Article 4 Section 1

All states will honor the laws of all other states

Article 4 Section 2

Citizens of one state are treated equally and fairly like all citizens of another. If a person accused of a crime in one state flees to another, he/she will be returned to the state that person fled from.

Article 4 Section 3

How new states can become part of the United States. Explains who controls federal lands.

Article 4 Section 4

Ensures a "Power by the People" government. Guarantees that the federal government will protect the states against.

Article 5

How to change the Constitution: 2/3 of the Representatives must vote on the change, 2/3 of the Senators must vote on the change, and 3/4 of the States must vote for the change (34 of 50)

Article 6

Concerns the United States. Guarantees that the Constitution and all laws and treaties of the United States to be the supreme law of the country. Requires all officers of the United States and of the states to pledge loyalty to the United States and the Constitution when taking office.

Article 7

Explained how the Constitution was agreed to. Of the original 13 states in the United States, nine had to accept the Constitution before it would officially go into effect.