The Constitution of the United States of America
Preamble
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 Branch
Section 1.
All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.
Section 2.
The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States…
No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen…
Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States…
When vacancies happen in the Representation, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.
The House shall choose their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.
Section 3.
The Senate shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years…
No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years…
The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate…
The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments…
Section 4.
The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed…
Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year…
Section 5–10.
These sections detail congressional procedure, powers, limitations, and the process for bills to become law. Section 8 includes enumerated powers like taxation, war declarations, and commerce regulation.
Article II – The Executive Branch
Section 1.
The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America.
He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years…
Each State shall appoint Electors…
No person except a natural born Citizen… shall be eligible to the Office of President…
Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States…”
Section 2.
The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy…
He shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons…
He shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, Judges, and Officers…
Section 3.
He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union…
He shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed…
Section 4.
The President, Vice President and all civil Officers… shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for… Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Article III – The Judicial Branch
Section 1.
The judicial Power shall be vested in one Supreme Court…
The Judges… shall hold their Offices during good Behavior…
Section 2.
The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity…
In all cases affecting Ambassadors… the Supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction.
The Trial of all Crimes… shall be by Jury…
Section 3.
Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying War against them…
Article IV – The States
Section 1.
Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State…
Section 2.
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities…
A Person charged in any State with Treason… who shall flee… shall be delivered up…
Section 3.
New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union…
Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules respecting the Territory…
Section 4.
The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government…
Article V – Amendments
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments…
or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention…
Article VI – Federal Power
All Debts contracted… shall be as valid under this Constitution…
This Constitution, and the Laws… shall be the supreme Law of the Land…
No religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification…
Article VII – Ratification
The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution…
Signatories
Done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven…
In witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names.
George Washington, President and deputy from Virginia
[List of 38 other signers]
English
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