Constitution Memorization

The Preamble

The founders wanted to form a more perfect union, establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity

Article 1

The Legislative Branch

• establishes congress: senate and house of representatives

Article 1, Section 8

Lists the enumerated powers of congress:

Grants authority to legislate in areas such as taxation, commerce regulation, naturalization, creating federal courts, raising armies and navies, declaring war, establishing post offices, and protecting intellectual property

Article 2

Executive Branch - the President

Article 3

Judicial Branch - Supreme Court

Article 4

Federalism:

Full Faith and Credit Clause - Constitution’s requirement that each state accept the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state

Privileges and Immunities Clause - Protects the fundamental rights of individual citizens and restrains state effort to discriminate against out of state citizens

Article 5

Amendment Process

Article 6

The Constitution and any laws or treaties made are the law of the land which the judges and states are bound by (supremacy clause)

Executive and Legislative Checks and Balances

Executive can veto congressional legislation

Legislative can impeach president and pass laws over presidential veto

Executive and Judicial Checks and Balances

Executive: the president nominates supreme court judges

Judicial can declare presidential acts unconstitutional

Judicial and Legislative Checks and Balances

Judicial can declare laws unconstitutional

Legislative can impeach judges and senate confirms presidents judge nominations

1st Amendment

Congres can’t have a law about establishing religion, or prohibiting freedom of religion, press, speech, peaceful assembly, and petitioning the government

2nd Amendment

Right to bear arms

3rd Amendment

No soldier shall be quartered in any house

4th Amendment

Right to reasonable search and seizure

Warrants only under probable cause

5th Amendment

Right to remain silent, right to a trial, can’t have property taken for public use without just compensations, protects from double jeopardy

6th Amendment

Right to a public trial, right to a public defense

7th Amendment

Right to trial by jury

8th Amendment

No excessive bail or fines and no cruel or unusual punishment

9th Amendment

The rights of citizens are protected whether they’re listed or not

10th Amendment

Powers not delegated to the US are reserved for the state and the people

11th Amendment

States can’t be sued in federal court by citizens of other states or foreigners

12th Amendment

Requires voters to cast separate ballots for president and vice president

13th Amendment

Abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude

14th Amendment

Grants US citizenship to all people born in the US; no state can deny anyone the right to life, liberty, or property without due process of law

15th Amendment

Government can’t stop someone from voting based on race or color

16th Amendment

Congress can levy and collect federal income taxes from people and businesses

17th Amendment

Gives the right to the people to elect senators

18th Amendment

No manufacture, sale, or transportation of alcoholic beverages

19th Amendment

Women have the right to vote

20th Amendment

Congress takes office January 3rd, President and Vice President take office January 20th

21st Amendment

Ends ban on alcohol

22nd Amendment

2 term limit for presidents

23rd Amendment

Gave Washington D.C. electoral votes

24th Amendment

Prohibits poll tax

25th Amendment

Says vice president becomes president if the president is unable to serve

26th Amendment

Right to vote cannot be denied to any citizen 18+

27th Amendment

Congress change in salaries can’t take effect until after the election of the next representatives