The United States Constitution

Article I Section 2 Clause 1

House of Representatives direct election by the people

Article I Section 2 Clause 2

Qualifications for office (25, 7 yrs a citizen, citizen of state represented)

Article 1 Section 2 Clause 3

census triggers apportionment

Article I Section 2 Clause 5

Speaker of the House & House to impeach

Article I Section 3 Clause 1

2 Senators from each state chosen by state legislature

Article I Section 3 Section 2

Creation of three Senate classes; staggered elections and origin of continuous body

Article 1 Section 3 Clause 3

Qualifications for Senators; 30, citizen of US for 9 years, resident of their state.

Article I Section 3 Clause 4

VP is President

Article I Section 3 Clause 6

Senate tries impeachments

Article I Section 4 Clause 1

Allows state primary responsibility in regulating elections for Congress, but Federal government can interject.

Article I Section 7 Clause 1

House to originate revenue (tax) bills; part of great compromise.

Article I Section 7 Clause 2

Check on the power of Congress: All bills must be passed in identical form in both houses and presented to president for no action (becomes a bill, signed (becomes a bill), vetoed (message about why not passed and sent to house of origination for reworking or veto override by 2/3rds of both houses) or pocket veto (no sign after ten days of congressional adjournment is vetoed)

Article 1 Section 8 Clause 1-17

Some 23 expressed or enumerated powers given to Congress regarding economics, defense, acquisition of land, and citizenship. Chief are regulation of trade, and power to tax.

Article I Section 8 Clause 18

Implied powers of Congress, allows government to exercise powers that are necessary and proper to the functioning of the federal government's expressed powers. Origin of loose construction.

Article I Section 9

Denial of powers to federal government, including the mini Bill of Rights. Includes prohibition of ex post facto laws, bills of attainder, and prohibits the suspension of habeas corpus.

Article II Section 1 Clause 1

Vestment of executive power in a single president with four year terms, creation of vice presidency.

Article II Section 1 Clause 2 and 3

Electoral College; states appoint electors as the legislature sees fit.

Article II Section 1 Clause 5

President must be 35, natural born citizen, lived in US for at least 14 years.

Article II Section 1 Clause 6

VP becomes president when office is vacant Congress can determine succession

Article II Section 2

Powers of president, including commander in chief, appointment of officers in various executive departments with confirmation by Senate, ability to require consul by said officers, grant reprieves and pardons, power to make treaties with advise and consent of Senate,

Article II Section 3

State of the Union required once a year

Article II Section 4

President and all appointed officers can be impeached

Article III Section 1

Creation of courts; terms of good behavior (life) with constant compensation that cannot be reduced.

Article IV Section 1

Full faith and credit of all state laws between the states

Article IV Section 2

Privileges and Immunities of each state granted to all citizens of the US

Article IV Section 4

Republican form of government guaranteed in each state

Article V

Amendment process is two steps with two options at each step: Proposal requires 2/3rds acceptance at national level, either in Congress or national convention. Ratification requires 3/4ths acceptance at state level either in state legislature or state conventions.

Article VI Section 2

Supremacy Clause

Amendment I

Freedom of religion, expression, association, and petition

Amendment 2

Right to bear arms for the purpose of a militia

Amendment 3

Ban against quartering of troops

Amendment 4

Ban against unreasonable searches and seizures

Amendment 5

Grand jury guarantee, double jeopardy, ban on being compelled to witness against self, due process, eminent domain

Amendment 6

Right to jury trial

Amendment 8

No excessive bail or cruel and unusual punishment

Amendment 9

Rights retained to the people that are yet to be enumerated or written down

Amendment 10

Reservation of all un-enumerated powers to the people or the states

Amendment 11

Federal courts cannot hear suits of individuals against states; creates sovereign immunity of the state governments

Amendment 12

Changes Electoral College so that president and vice president ballots are separate

Amendment 13

Slaves are citizens

Amendment 14

All citizens get due process, privileges and immunities, and equal protection of the law. States can keep felons from voting

Amendment 15

No limitation to vote based on race or condition of servitude.

Amendment 16

Allowed to lay direct tax (income tax)

Amendment 17

Senate is directly elected

Amendment 18

Alcohol sales are illegal

Amendment 19

Right to vote not based on gender

Amendment 20

Change of inauguration dates and start of Congress; Presidential disability before inauguration

Amendment 21

repeal of prohibition

Amendment 22

Presidential term limits

Amendment 23

DC gets three electors in electoral college

Amendment 24

Poll tax and other taxes in order to vote are illegal

Amendment 25

Presidential disability, vice presidential appointment

Amendment 26

Right to vote for 18 and above

Amendment 27

Changes to congressional income take effect in the following congressional term.