American Federal Government Constitution. Article 1: CONGRESS –Section 1 - all legislative powers to Congress –Section 2 - Choosing of Representatives.

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Constitution

Constitution

• Article 1: CONGRESS– Section 1 - all legislative powers to Congress– Section 2 - Choosing of Representatives

• elections every two years

• minimum age: 25

• apportionment: every 10 years

• 3/5 compromise

• House chooses speaker

• House has sole power of impeachment

Constitution

• Article I– Section 3: Senate

• six year terms• three “classes”: 1/3 of Senate elected every 2 years• minimum age: 30• Vice-President is President of the Senate

– Votes only in tiebreak situations

• Tries impeachments– Chief Justice of Supreme Court presides over impeachments

Constitution

• Article 1– Section 4: elections to Congress

• State Legislatures decide

• Congress to meet at least once annually

– Section 5• majority necessary for a quorum

• may expel members with 2/3 vote

• votes recorded if 1/5 of members request

• while in session, cannot adjourn for more than 3 days without consent of other chamber

Constitution

• Article 1– Section 6: compensation

• Prohibition against holding concurrent offices

– Section 7• Tax bills must begin in House

• All bills must pass House, Senate, and president must sign

• Veto power for president– Congress may override with 2/3 of both chambers

Constitution• Article 1

– Section 8: Congressional powers• taxation• borrow money• regulate interstate commerce• coin money• establish Post office • establish courts• declare war• provide and maintain a navy• necessary and proper (elastic) clause

Constitution

• Article 1– Section 9: Restrictions on Congress

• Writ of habeus corpus shall not be suspended except under emergency situations

• No bills of attainder or ex post facto laws

• No taxes on goods exchanged between states

• No funds appropriated without a law

• No titles of nobility to be granted

Constitution

• Article II: PRESIDENCY– Section 1

• executive power• selection of electors to electoral college

– # of Representatives + 2

• minimum age: 35 years• natural-born citizen• succession to Vice-President in case of death, disability• compensation

Constitution• Article II

– Section 2• President as commander in chief

• Power to make treaties with Senate approval

• Appoint ambassadors, cabinet, judges

– Section 3• State of the Union - “from time to time”

• recommend measures to Congress

• convene Congress into special session

• receive ambassadors

– Section 4• Impeachment: treason, bribery, other high crimes and misdemeanors

Constitution

• Article III: COURTS– Section 1

• Supreme Court, life appointment

– Section 2: • jurisdiction: cases between states, federal government and

states, foreign states• jury trials

– Section 3• treason requires at least 2 witnesses• only person found guilty may be held responsible

Constitution

• Article IV: FULL FAITH & CREDIT– Section 1

• State recognition of other states’ acts, laws, records

– Section 2• privileges and immunities

– Section 3• Admitting new states into Union: Congress

– Section 4• each state entitled to a republican form of government

Constitution

• Article V: AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION– two-thirds of both chambers of Congress, three-

fourths of state-legislatures ratify– two-thirds of states call for a convention, three-

fourths ratify

Constitution

• Bill of Rights– First 10 Amendments – Amendment 1 (1791)

• no laws respecting establishment of religion; free exercise; freedom of speech, press; peaceful assembly; petitioning government

– Amendment 2 (1791)• keep and bear arms

– Amendment 3 (1791)• quartering of soldiers

Constitution

• Bill of Rights– Amendment 4 (1791)

• unreasonable searches and seizures

– Amendment 5 (1791)• self incrimination, double-jeopardy; due process of

law; capital crimes & grand jury; “takings”

– Amendment 6 (1791)• speedy trial; jury of peers; right to confront accuser;

assistance of counsel

Constitution

• Bill of Rights– Amendment 7 (1791)

• jury trial

– Amendment 8 (1791)• excessive bail; cruel and unusual punishment

– Amendment 9 (1791)• rights in constitution do not deny rights of others

– Amendment 10 (1791)• powers not delegated by the Constitution are retained by

the states or the people

Constitution

• Other Amendments– Amendment 12 (1804)

• selection of president and vice president

– Amendment 13 (1865)• abolition of slavery

– Amendment 14 (1865)• citizenship; no state can deprive of life, liberty, property

without due process of law

– Amendment 15 (1870)• voting rights of citizens regardless of race, color

Constitution

• Other Amendments– Amendment 16 (1913)

• income tax

– Amendment 17 (1913)• direct election of Senators

– Amendment 18 (1919)• prohibition of liquor (later repealed)

– Amendment 19 (1920)• women’s right to vote

Constitution

• Other Amendments– Amendment 20 (1933)

• Terms of President/Vice President start on January 20

• Presidential succession; provision for congressional statute

– Amendment 21 (1933)• repeal of Amendment 18 (prohibition)

– Amendment 22 (1951)• president can only serve two terms

Constitution• Other Amendments

– Amendment 23 (1961)• District of Columbia/electoral college representation

– Amendment 24 (1964)• elimination of poll tax

– Amendment 25 (1967)• presidential disability

– Amendment 26 (1971)• voting for 18 year-olds

– Amendment 27 (1992)• compensation for members of Congress/pay raises