Constitutional Law-The Articles of the Constitution
Article One of the U.S. Constitution sets forth the powers of the U.S. Congress. It specifies that there shall be a House of Representatives and a Senate, and defines how those members shall be elected and compensated. It also sets forth general powers and limitations of those legislative bodies.
Article Two of the U.S. Constitution states that the executive power of the government shall be vested in the President. It then defines the extent of that executive power, how the president shall be elected, and what his or her qualifications for office shall be.
Article Three of the U.S. Constitution states that the judicial power of the United States shall be vested in the Supreme Court, as well as inferior courts Congress may establish. The model created in the first three articles of the Constitution is a system of checks and balances. Each branch of government is considered to be equal, and each one in different respects has the ability to check and to balance the others. For instance, the legislative branch has the authority to enact legislation. That legislation is then sent to the president who, as the head of the executive branch, can veto the legislation. The legislative branch may then override that veto. If the law is passed (actually becomes law), then it can be reviewed by the judicial branch for purposes of determining whether it is constitutional and for purposes of interpreting the law. If the legislative branch, for whatever reason, does not like the interpretation imposed on the law by the judicial branch, then it can amend the law so as to expressly state how the law should be interpreted.
Article Four of the U.S. Constitution defines the concept known as Full Faith and Credit, which means that the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of any one state shall be given full faith and credit in every other state in the union. This Article further defines the term known as privileges and immunities, which means that the citizens of each state shall be entitled to all the same privileges and immunities as the citizens of any other state. The privileges and immunities clause precludes one state from granting certain privileges or immunities to its citizens that would not apply to citizens of other states. For instance, Minnesota could not grant Jesse “The Body” Ventura the sole right to conduct wrestling matches in that state to the exclusion of all persons who were not citizens of Minnesota. To allow that would be a violation of the privileges and immunities clause.
Article Five of the U.S. Constitution provides for amendments to the Constitution.
Article Six of the U.S. Constitution states that this Constitution and the laws of the United States made pursuant to the Constitution shall be the supreme law of the land. That means that if there is any conflict between federal law and state law regarding an issue that the federal government has the right to legislate, then federal law will always be supreme.
Article Seven of the U.S. Constitution provides that nine states are needed to ratify the Constitution before it becomes effective.
Article Two of the U.S. Constitution states that the executive power of the government shall be vested in the President. It then defines the extent of that executive power, how the president shall be elected, and what his or her qualifications for office shall be.
Article Three of the U.S. Constitution states that the judicial power of the United States shall be vested in the Supreme Court, as well as inferior courts Congress may establish. The model created in the first three articles of the Constitution is a system of checks and balances. Each branch of government is considered to be equal, and each one in different respects has the ability to check and to balance the others. For instance, the legislative branch has the authority to enact legislation. That legislation is then sent to the president who, as the head of the executive branch, can veto the legislation. The legislative branch may then override that veto. If the law is passed (actually becomes law), then it can be reviewed by the judicial branch for purposes of determining whether it is constitutional and for purposes of interpreting the law. If the legislative branch, for whatever reason, does not like the interpretation imposed on the law by the judicial branch, then it can amend the law so as to expressly state how the law should be interpreted.
Article Four of the U.S. Constitution defines the concept known as Full Faith and Credit, which means that the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of any one state shall be given full faith and credit in every other state in the union. This Article further defines the term known as privileges and immunities, which means that the citizens of each state shall be entitled to all the same privileges and immunities as the citizens of any other state. The privileges and immunities clause precludes one state from granting certain privileges or immunities to its citizens that would not apply to citizens of other states. For instance, Minnesota could not grant Jesse “The Body” Ventura the sole right to conduct wrestling matches in that state to the exclusion of all persons who were not citizens of Minnesota. To allow that would be a violation of the privileges and immunities clause.
Article Five of the U.S. Constitution provides for amendments to the Constitution.
Article Six of the U.S. Constitution states that this Constitution and the laws of the United States made pursuant to the Constitution shall be the supreme law of the land. That means that if there is any conflict between federal law and state law regarding an issue that the federal government has the right to legislate, then federal law will always be supreme.
Article Seven of the U.S. Constitution provides that nine states are needed to ratify the Constitution before it becomes effective.
