From Ballotpedia Show
The United States Constitution is the fundamental law of the United States of America. It was proposed on September 17, 1787, by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was then ratified by conventions in each state. It went into effect in June 1788 when ratified by nine states. Since its passage, there have been 27 amendments; the first 10 are known as the Bill of Rights. The original document is on display at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C. The Constitution contains 4,543 words, including the signatures of 39 of the 55 delegates representing the states. PreambleThe preamble to the United States Constitution states: We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. Article I: The Legislative BranchArticle I details the form and function of the United States Congress. It details that the United States Congress is to be a bicameral body composed of a Senate and a House of Representatives, whose members are to be elected by the people of each state. It also designates all legislative powers to be held by Congress. It is the longest article of the Constitution and has been amended the most. Article II: The Executive BranchArticle II establishes the executive branch of government and sets the President of the United States at its head. It also describes the duties of the president and vice-president and names the president as Commander in Chief of the armed forces. Article III: The Judicial BranchArticle III details the judicial branch of government and designates the Supreme Court as the highest court in the land. It also describes the requirements to be convicted of treason and the potential punishment for it. Article IV: The StatesArticle IV describes the states of the union and their interactions with the federal government and with one another. Article V: AmendmentArticle V establishes amendment as a means of altering the Constitution. The amendment process requires 2/3 vote of both houses to call a convention for amendment proposal and further requires ratification by 3/4 of states for a proposed amendment to become law. Article VI: Debts, Supremacy, OathsArticle VI describes debts, contracts, and oaths. It declares the Constitution to be the supreme law of the land and requires that all legislative, executive, and judicial officers take an oath to support the Constitution. It also declares that no religious test shall ever be required to hold public office. Article VII: RatificationArticle VII deals with the ratification of the Constitution. It contains the signatures of the representatives of each state at the convention. AmendmentsBill of RightsThe bill of rights consists of the first ten amendments to the constitution. These amendments detail the rights of the individual.
Subsequent amendments
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