Articles

  • Article I — Legislative Branch

    • What it does: Sets up Congress — which makes the laws.

    • Congress has two parts:

      • Senate: 2 senators per state (equal representation).

      • House of Representatives: Number based on state population.

    • Powers Congress has:

      • Make laws

      • Collect taxes

      • Declare war

      • Regulate trade between states and with other countries

      • Approve appointments and treaties (Senate does this)

    Example: When Congress passes a law about education funding, it’s following Article I.

Article II — Executive Branch

  • What it does: Sets up the President, Vice President, and Cabinet.

  • Role: Enforces (carries out) laws passed by Congress.

  • Powers of the President:

    • Commander-in-Chief of the military

    • Negotiates treaties with other countries (with Senate approval)

    • Appoints federal judges and officials

    • Proposes the federal budget

    • Can veto (reject) bills from Congress

    • Can issue executive orders (rules that act like laws but don’t need Congress)

Example: The President signs a bill into law or vetoes it — that’s Article II in action.

Article III — Judicial Branch

  • What it does: Creates the court system, especially the Supreme Court.

  • Role: Interprets the laws — decides what laws mean and if they are constitutional.

  • Judicial Review: The power to say if a law or executive action goes against the Constitution and is therefore invalid.

  • Lower courts: Congress can create other federal courts as needed.

Example: If a law about free speech is challenged, the courts decide if it’s allowed under the Constitution.

Article IV — States’ Powers and Relations

  • What it does: Explains how states interact with each other and the federal government.

  • Key points:

    • States must respect each other’s laws, court decisions, and records (like marriage licenses).

    • New states can be admitted to the Union.

    • The federal government promises to protect states from invasion and help with internal issues if requested.

Example: If you get a driver’s license in Florida, other states must recognize it.

Article V — Amendment Process

  • What it does: Explains how to change (amend) the Constitution.

  • Two ways to propose amendments:

    1. 2/3 of both houses of Congress vote to propose an amendment.

    2. 2/3 of state legislatures call for a special convention to propose amendments (rarely used).

  • To ratify (approve) an amendment:

    • 3/4 of the state legislatures OR

    • 3/4 of state conventions must approve it.

Example: The 19th Amendment (women’s right to vote) was passed through this process.

Article VI — Supremacy Clause

  • What it does: Says that the Constitution is the highest law of the land.

  • Key idea: If a state law and a federal law conflict, federal law wins.

  • Also says government officials must swear an oath to support the Constitution.

  • There’s no religious test required to hold office.

Example: If a state tries to make a law that goes against the Constitution, the courts will strike it down based on Article VI.

Article VII — Ratification

  • What it does: Explains how the Constitution became official.

  • It said that 9 out of the 13 original states had to approve (ratify) the Constitution for it to take effect.

  • Once that happened in 1788, the new government under the Constitution began in 1789.

Example: This article doesn’t affect us now, but it was essential when the Constitution was first introduced.