Anatomy of the Constitution Chapter 3

Article I- Creating Congress Longest part- creates the Legislative Branch Describes how Congress should be organized Outlines qualifications for Senators & Representatives Dictates how often Congress should hold elections and meet as a group Describes details of daily operation of Congress

Powers of Congress Collect taxes Borrow money & pay debt Make citizenship rules Regulate commerce Coin money & punish counterfeiters Establish post offices Grant patents Create lower federal courts Declare war Support an Army & Navy Make other laws that are “necessary and proper”

Punish pirates!

Article II: Creating the Executive Branch Describes qualifications to be president Outlines powers of the office of the President Explains the impeachment & removal process Explains the Electoral College

Presidential powers Commander-in-Chief of armed forces Maintain a cabinet of advisors Grant pardons in federal offenses Negotiate treaties Carry out laws Appoint ambassadors, Supreme Court Justices, federal judges & Cabinet members Make a State of the Union address Represent the U.S. to foreign countries

Article III- Creating the Courts Creates the Supreme Court Authorizes Congress to create federal courts to deal with U.S. laws Specifies what kinds of cases the Supreme Court will hear Outlines how federal judges are appointed Guarantees trial by jury for criminal cases Explains the crime of treason

Article IV: Relations between the states Each state must respect laws & cases of other states Explains the extradition process for criminals All states must have a representative type government

Article V: Amending the Constitution

Article VI: Supremacy Clause Laws and treaties of the U.S. government are the “supreme law of the land”

Article VII: Ratification States the Constitution will not take effect until 9 of 13 states approve The Constitution became the law of the land in 1789 The Bill of Rights was added in 1791