U.S. Constitution article 1
Anatomy of the U.S. Constitution
DRAFTING THE CONSTITUTION
In 1777 the United States formally gained independence
from British rule. The political leaders and representatives
from the first thirteen unified states of America, otherwise
known as the Framers, gathered to establish democracy by
creating the Articles of Confederation.
This document formed an organization of 13 separate state
governments and a legislative branch. It created a
government very different from the one we have today.
There was neither a president nor an executive branch and
judicial branch.
This government did not work as well as they had hoped, so ten years
later they held a convention to revise the Articles. After much debate,
the Framers decided to throw away the old plan and start a new one.
This new plan became the Constitution of the United States.
THE RULE BOOK
A constitution is a document that gives instructions for how a government
should run. It is a rule book for creating the laws for an entire country.
When the Framers went back to the drawing board, they had many
questions to consider: What is the purpose and function of our new
government? What powers should the government have, and what limits
should be placed on the government? How do we protect the rights of the
people? Can we make a document that will be useful to future
generations?
THE PREAMBLE
The United States Constitution is one of the shortest constitutions in the world. It is just over 4,500 words and
covers only four pages and is also the oldest written constitution that is still in use today. The Constitution is
divided into nine part. The first paragraph is called the Preamble that introduces the Constitution by
explaining what the constitution means, and describes the purpose of the new government.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect union,
(Not a king, but of the citizens)
(to make better than before)
establish justice, insure domestic Tranquility,
(create a fair legal system and establish peace at home)
provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare,
(join together to defend against attacks and help keep the people safe and healthy)
and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,
(make sure that freedom and liberty is lives today and for future generations)
do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
(the people have created and agreed to follow this new plan of government)
U.S. Constitution article 2
HOW DO THEY GOVERN?
The contents of the Constitution created the three branches of
government and give directions for how the federal (national)
government works. Although the Constitution was written over
220 years ago, it still guides our officials in running our country
today.
ARTICLE I: CREATING CONGRESS
Article I is the first and longest part
of the Constitution because the
people who wrote the Constitution
realized that a legislative branch is very important in a government that
represents the citizens. Members of Congress are responsible for turning the
wants and needs of the people into laws. Congress has the ability to write and
pass bills (laws). Bill can pass Congress once both houses, House of Representatives and Senate approve with a
two-thirds vote. Congress members care about and represent their constituents (the people who elected
them to office)
ARTICLE II: CREATING THE PRESIDENT
Article II of the Constitution describes the job of the executive branch. The president
heads this branch, which includes the vice president, the cabinet, and many civilian and
military employees. A President has the ability to veto or approve a passed bill put
forward by Congress and makes sure that the government carries out the law. The
President is also able to engage in negotiations and agreements with other countries. A
president cares about and represents all citizens of the United States.
ARTICLE III: CREATING THE COURTS
Article III created the judicial branch. The judicial branch has the job of interpreting laws
to decide what they mean. Article III is the shortest of the first three articles because it
only creates one court—the Supreme Court. All other federal courts are created by
Congress. Federal judges are appointed and given terms that last until they retire, die, or
are removed for bad behavior. The Supreme Court makes sure people are obeying the
law and interpreting them. The judges care about the Constitution of the United States
(in other words the rulebook for government)
ARTICLE IV: THE STATES
States have the power to create and enforce their own laws. Article Four
describes how the states should interact with one another.
 Each state has to respect the laws and court decisions of the other
states.
 If a criminal flees one state for another, the state where the crime was
committed can request the criminal be returned to face criminal charges,
called extradition.
 All states must have a republican, or representative, type of
government.
U.S. Constitution article 3
ARTICLE V: AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION
Article V describes how an amendment is added to the Constitution.
There are only two steps necessary. First, the amendment needs to be
proposed, or introduced. Then it needs to be ratified, or passed.
Hundreds of amendment proposals are introduced in Congress each
year. Only 33 have received enough votes to actually be proposed. Of
those, 27 have become amendments to the Constitution.
The process to add an amendment can take years. There are four
different ways an amendment can be added to the Constitution. But in
all cases, an amendment has to be approved at the state and national
levels.
Four Methods of Amending the U.S. Constitution
Step 1
1 A two-thirds vote in both houses of the U.S.
Congress
2 A two-thirds vote in both houses of the U.S.
Congress
3 A national constitutional convention called by twothirds of the state legislatures
4 A national constitutional convention called by twothirds of the state legislatures
Step 2
Ratified by three-fourths of the state legislature
Ratified by ratification conventions in three-fourths
of the states
Ratified by three-fourths of the state legislature
Ratified by ratification conventions in three-fourths
of the states
ARTICLE VI: SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND
Federalism is the idea that the national government shares power with the state governments. But if a state
law disagrees with a federal law, Article Six states that the laws and treaties of the federal government are
“the supreme law of the land.” If a state law disagrees with a federal law, federal law wins. This article also
requires officials working in the state and federal governments to take an oath to support the Constitution no
matter what.
ARTICLE VII: RATIFICATION
When most of the Constitution was written, the Framers had to decide the
best way to get the American people to support it. Article Seven calls for at
least nine of the thirteen states to ratify the Constitution. Each state had to
hold a constitutional convention to discuss and vote on the new
government plan. The debate was over the need for a Bill of Rights that
would list specific rights not already mentioned in the Constitution. With
the promise of the addition of the Bill of Rights, the Constitution became
the law of the land in March of 1789 at the first meeting of Congress. Two years later, in 1791, the Bill of
Rights was added as the first ten amendments to the Constitution.