The U.S. Constitution
Dateline: 07/10/98
Index to the Complete U.S. Constitution
The Complete Constitution On One Page
"I'm right! Look, it says so in the ____ "
(a.) Bible
(b.) Constitution
I'll bet you all the Federal Reserve Notes in my pocket that, other than the Bible, no document in human history has caused, or settled more arguments than our very own United States Constitution.
In only seven sections on four hand-written pages, this amazing piece of government writing accomplishes exactly what a constitution should; describe in a few simple words the structure, duties, and powers of the government. Compare the U.S. Constitution to the more typical 134+ page California State Constitution, wandering endlessly in to such esoteric topics as parking lots and fish nets.
"We the people" have changed our Constitution only 27 times, including the original 10 amendments in the Bill of Rights adopted on December 15, 1791.
Think for a moment of the social, economic, and political changes in the Unites States over the life of our Constitution: Settlement of the West, Civil War, World Wars, Cold Wars, Immigration, Industrial Revolution, Great Depression, Baby Boom, Civil Rights, and Women's Rights, just to name a few. Through all of that and more, the U.S. Constitution, a simple document, based on simple logic, that at once defines and confines the powers of the government, has held us together and now stands as the oldest national constitution in the world.
So, without further speech making, here for your enjoyment, study, or research...
The Constitution of the Unites States of America
-
Preamble
Article I -- The Legislative Branch (Congress) -
Section 1. Legislative
Powers
Section 2. The House of Representatives
Section 3. The Senate
Section 4. Elections of Senators and Representatives
Section 5. Rules of the Legislature
Section 6. Payment and Privileges of Legislators
Section 7. Passage of Bills
Section 8. On the Scope of Legislative Power
Section 9. Limits on Legislative Power
Section 10. Limiting the Powers of the States - Article II -- The Executive Branch (President)
-
Section 1. Election,
Installation, and Removal
Section 2. Powers of the President
Section 3. Various Duties of the President
Section 4. Impeachment - Article III -- The Judicial Branch
-
Section 1. Granting Judicial
Power
Section 2. Scope of Judicial Power
Section 3. Treason - Article IV -- The States
-
Section 1. Full Faith
and Credit
Section 2. Privileges & Immunities, Extradition, Fugitive Slaves
Section 3. Admission of States
Section 4. Guarantees to States -
Article V -- Amendment
Process
Article VI -- Legal Status of the Constitution
Article VII -- Signatures
Amendments 1-10 (The Bill of Rights - 1791) -
Amendment 1 - Religion,
Speech, Press, Assembly, Petition
Amendment 2 - Right to Bear Arms
Amendment 3 - Quartering of Troops
Amendment 4 - Search and Seizure
Amendment 5 - Grand Jury, Double Jeopardy, Self-Incrimination, Due Process
Amendment 6 - Prosecutions & Jury Trials, Right to Confront and to Counsel
Amendment 7 - Common Law Suites & Jury Trials
Amendment 8 - Excess Bail or Fines, Cruel and Unusual Punishment
Amendment 9 - Non-Enumerated Rights
Amendment 10 - Rights Reserved to the States - Amendments 11 - 27 (1795 - 1992)
-
Amendment 11 - Suits
Against States
Amendment 12 - Election of President & Vice President
Amendment 13 - Abolition of Slavery
Amendment 14 - Privileges & Immunities, Due Process, Equal Protection, Apportionment, Civil War Disqualification and Debt.
Amendment 15 - Rights Not to Be Denied Because of Race
Amendment 16 - Income Tax
Amendment 17 - Election of Senators
Amendment 18 - Prohibition
Amendment 19 - Women's Right to Vote
Amendment 20 - Presidential Term and Succession
Amendment 21 - Repealing Prohibition
Amendment 22 - Term Limit on President
Amendment 23 - Presidential Vote in District of Columbia
Amendment 24 - Nullification of Poll Taxes
Amendment 25 - Presidential Succession
Amendment 26 - Right to Vote at Age 18
Amendment 27 - Compensation of Congress
Other Excellent Related Resources
About
the Constitution - The Library of Congress
A clear and simple explanation of the Constitution.
Amendments
Not Ratified
Besides the 27 amendments that made it, six have been proposed to the states,
but were not ratified. This page from the House of Representatives presents
the full text of all six failed amendments.
Biographies
of The Signers
NARA presents biographies of each of the 39 signers of the Constitution
National
Archives and Records Administration
Features high resolution images of each page of the actual Constitution and
a nice Q&A section.
Your opinion is welcome on the
U.S.
Government Info/Resources Bulletin Board
Totally Free. Conspiracy Theories Welcome. Open 24-hours.
Federal
Job Openings and Resources
40,000 people will get U.S. Government jobs this year. Want to be one of
them?
Index
to U.S. Government Web Space
Links to over 250 agencies, bureaus, commissions and offices in all three
branches of government.
