1. preamble
Introduction
Lays out 6 goals for government:
Form more perfect union
Establish justice
Insure domestic tranquility
Provide for common defense
Promote general welfare
Secure liberty for ourselves and posterity
Concepts/principles include popular sovereignty (self- government) and social contract (consent of the governed)

2. Article 1 – Legislative branch
Primary role
to make laws for the country
Organizational structure
bicameral (two house) Congress
House of Representatives with representation based on population (proportional)
Senate with equal representation (2 per state)
Membership and qualifications
435 Representatives serve for 2 years; must be 25 years old, citizen for 7 years, reside in state; can be re-elected to unlimited terms
100 Senators serve for 6 years; must be 30 years old, citizen for 9 years, reside in state; can be re-elected to unlimited terms
Directly elected by the people of their district and/or state
Example powers
Collect taxes
Borrow money and pay debts
Make rules for how to become a citizen
Regulate commerce (trade) with other nations, between the states, and with Indian tribes
Coin money and punish counterfeiters
Establish post offices
Give patents to new inventions
Create the lower federal courts
Punish pirates
Declare war and support an army and navy
Make any other laws that are “necessary and proper” to carry out the powers in this list

3. Article 2 – Executive branch
Primary role
to carry out/enforce laws for the country
Organizational structure
President
15 executive “Cabinet” departments
Many executive agencies and regulatory commissions
Membership and qualifications
President and Vice President must be 35 years old, natural born citizen, reside in U.S. for previous 14 years
Serve for 4 years; can serve 2 terms (no more than 10 years)
Elected through the Electoral College process
Example powers
Act as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces
Maintain a cabinet of advisors who run the 15 executive departments
Grant pardons in all federal criminal offenses, and reprieves (postpone punishments like executions)
Negotiate treaties with other countries
Appoint ambassadors, Supreme Court Justices and federal court judges, and Cabinet members
Make a State of the Union address to Congress
Represent the United States when dealing with foreign countries
Make sure that laws are carried out (executed)

4. Article 3 – Judicial Branch
Primary role
to interpret constitutionality of laws for the country
Organizational structure
Supreme Court (highest)
Trial and appeals courts
Membership and qualifications
9 Supreme Court justices
Numerous federal judges
Nominated by President, approved by Senate; no specific qualifications; (most) serve for life
Example powers
Judicial review – the authority to determine the constitutionality of a law or executive action (although this was not expressed in Article 3, through court cases like Marbury v. Madison, this has come to be the primary – very important – power of the judicial branch)

5. Article 4 – The States
Describes how states should interact with one another
Full Faith and Credit Clause - each state has to respect the laws and court decisions of the other states.
Extradition - if a criminal flees from one state to another, the state where the crime was committed can request that the criminal be returned to face charges.
New states can be admitted to the Union with the authorization of Congress and the president.
All states must have a republican, or representative, type of government.
The federal government will protect states from outside invasion and assist with internal problems when requested by the states.

6. Article 5 – Amendments to the constitution
2 steps to the amendment process:
Proposal and/or approval in the U.S. Congress AND
Proposal and/or approval by the states
Amendments may be proposed by
2/3 vote of both houses of Congress OR
2/3 state legislatures ask Congress for Constitutional Convention (never been done)
Amendments may be ratified by
3/4 vote of state legislatures
3/4 of special state conventions (only been done once)
Only 27 total amendments (changes) have been made to the Constitution so far!

7. Article 6 - Debts, Supremacy, Oaths
New U.S. government assumed the debts of the old U.S. government under the Articles of Confederation
Supremacy Clause
Constitution is the “supreme law of the land”
States and local governments cannot make laws to contradict it
Government officials must swear an oath to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the country.
Officials would not be bound by any religious restrictions

8. Article 7 – Ratification
Constitution could not take effect until 9 of 13 states approved it.
Each state held convention to discuss and vote
Anti-Federalists thought the seven articles weren’t enough to guarantee rights of people.
After debate, it was decided 10 amendments would be added to the Constitution.
Called Bill of Rights
Listed specific rights not already in the Constitution.
Constitution became “law of the land” in March 1789.
Bill of Rights added in 1791.