Summarizing Information Study Foldable Make and use this study guide to record the main ideas of the chapter and information on the United States Constitution.

Step 1 Fold a sheet of paper inhalf from top to bottom.

Reading andWriting As you readthe chapter, recordevents that led to theformation, ratification,and implementation of the United StatesConstitution.

Step 3 Label yourfoldable as shown.

Step 2 Fold the paper in halfagain from side to side.

Journalon the

U.S. Constitution

The Constitution on display ▲

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The Constitution is the nation’s most important document.Written in 1787, it set up a system of government thathas flourished for more than 200 years. Realizing thatchanges would be needed from time to time, the writersof the Constitution set up a process to add amendments.It is this ability to adapt, while preserving the basic formof American government, that is the Constitution’spriceless heritage. Contact the National Archives inWashington, D.C., to learn more about the Constitution.Prepare a brief report that describes what you find.

To learn more about the drafting of the Constitution, viewthe Democracy in Action video lesson 2: The Creation ofthe Federal Government.

Chapter Overview Visit the CivicsToday Web site at civ.glencoe.comand click on Chapter Overviews—Chapter 3 to preview chapterinformation.

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Main IdeaIn 1787 a remarkablegroup of American lead-ers from all but one stategathered in Philadelphiato address the weak-nesses of the Articles ofConfederation, but theysoon decided that a newconstitution was needed.

Key TermsConstitutional Convention

Reading StrategyIdentifying InformationAs you read, list promi-nent leaders and charac-teristics of delegates tothe ConstitutionalConvention in a web dia-gram like the one below.

Read to Learn• Who attended the

ConstitutionalConvention?

• What rules did the dele-gates adopt to conducttheir business?

The Road to theConstitution

SECTION

Charles Pinckney was so intent onimpressing his colleagues—the other delegates to theConstitutional Convention—that he lied about his age.Pinckney’s vanity led him to boast that he was only 24,allowing him to claim distinction as the youngestdelegate. He was, in fact, 30 years old. In spite ofcertain personal qualities, Pinckney distinguishedhimself in the process of creating an improved plan of government for the United States.

A Distinguished GatheringBy early 1787, it was clear that the national government

had to be strengthened. The Congress agreed there were seri-ous problems with the Articles of Confederation. Each statewas asked to send delegates to a convention in Philadelphia to fix the flaws. (This was to become the ConstitutionalConvention.) Only Rhode Island chose not to take partbecause its leaders opposed a stronger central government.

The convention began in Philadelphia’s Independence Hallon May 25, 1787. Rain fell heavily during the opening week,leaving the roads to the city choked with mud. Many delegateshad to travel long distances and arrived late. Once all wereassembled, however, they were an extraordinary group.

Most of the 55 men present were well-educated lawyers,merchants, college presidents, physicians, generals, governors,and planters with considerable political experience. Eight ofthe delegates had signed the Declaration of Independence.Seven had been governors of their states, and forty-one wereor had been members of the Continental Congress. NativeAmericans, African Americans, and women were not consid-ered part of the political process, so none attended.

Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, 81, was the oldest del-egate. He was famous as a diplomat, writer, inventor, and sci-entist. Most delegates, however, were still young men in theirthirties or forties with great careers ahead of them. Two dele-gates, George Washington and James Madison, would go on tobecome presidents of the United States. Nineteen would

CharlesPinckney

52 Chapter 3 The Constitution

Delegates to theConstitutional Convention

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Culver Pictures

Independence Hall ThePennsylvania State House,later known as IndependenceHall, hosted the Declaration of Independence signing andthe Constitutional Convention.It is now a museum. Whatwas the delegates’ goal when they gathered at theconvention?

Chapter 3 The Constitution 53

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Hulton Archive/Getty Images

become U.S. senators, and thirteen servedin the House of Representatives. Four menwould become federal judges, and four oth-ers would become Supreme Court justices.

A few notable leaders were not at theconvention. Thomas Jefferson and JohnAdams were both in Europe as representa-tives of the American government—Jeffersonin Paris and Adams in London. PatrickHenry, a prominent Virginian, was also miss-ing. Although elected as a delegate, he wasagainst the convention and did not attend.

Generalizing How wouldyou describe the delegates to theConstitutional Convention?

Early DecisionsThe delegates agreed unanimously that

George Washington should preside over theconvention.Widely respected for his leader-ship during the American Revolution,Washington would now call on speakersand make sure that the meetings ran in anorderly, efficient manner. At the start, hereminded the delegates of the importance

of their task. He warned that if they couldnot come up with an acceptable plan ofgovernment, “perhaps another dreadfulconflict is to be sustained.”

Operating Procedures One of Washington’s first actions was to

appoint a committee to set rules for con-ducting the convention. The committeedecided that meetings could not be heldunless delegates from at least seven stateswere present. Decisions were to be made bya majority vote of the states, with each statehaving only one vote. That meant that thedelegates from each state would decide bymajority rule how to cast their single ballot.

The participants at the convention alsoagreed to keep all discussions secret. Thepublic was not allowed to attend meetings,the doors were guarded, and the windowswere kept tightly shut despite the summerheat. Each delegate promised not to telloutsiders what was going on inside.

This secrecy rule enabled the delegatesto speak freely, without worrying about thepublic’s reaction. That made it easier forthem to bargain with one another and to

Art Resource, NY

Checking for Understanding1. Key Terms Write a sentence

using the term below thatexplains the purpose of the gathering in Philadelphia.Constitutional Convention

Reviewing Main Ideas2. Explain Why did Rhode Island

refuse to send a delegate to the Constitutional Convention?What did the delegates have in common?

3. Describe How were decisionsmade by the ConstitutionalConvention? What other deci-sions about operating proce-dures did the delegates make?

Critical Thinking4. Drawing Conclusions If you

had been a delegate to theConstitutional Convention, wouldyou have voted for the secrecyrule? Why or why not?

5. Categorizing InformationOrganize information about the early decisions of theConstitutional Convention bycompleting a graphic organizerlike the one below.

Analyzing Visuals6. Infer Examine the painting of the

Constitutional Convention on thispage. Who is shown leading theConvention? Why did the dele-gates choose him?

SECTION ASSESSMENT

54 Chapter 3 The Constitution

change their minds on the many issuesdebated. However, the secrecy policy alsomeant that no formal records of the con-vention were kept. Most of the details weknow come from a notebook of daily eventswritten by James Madison.

The Need for a New Constitution The Congress had given delegates the

job of revising the Articles of Confederation.They quickly agreed, however, that changing

the Articles was not enough. They decidedinstead to discard the Articles and write anew constitution. All of the delegates set outto strengthen the national government bycreating a new plan of government.Thus themeeting in Philadelphia came to be knownas the Constitutional Convention.

Explaining Why were noformal records kept at the ConstitutionalConvention?

Early Decisions of theConstitutional Convention

The ConstitutionalConvention Delegates to theconvention had to make manycompromises before workingout a plan for a governmentacceptable to all. What werethe rules for conducting theconvention?

�BE AN ACTIVE CITIZEN�7. Research Find out about your

city council and state legislature.What are the secrecy rules forthose bodies? Can they meet in secret like the ConstitutionalConvention did? Under what circumstances can they meetwithout having the public present?Report your findings to the class.

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GUIDE TO READING

Main IdeaDelegates to theConstitutional Conventionarrived with varying ideasand plans of government,which meant that com-promise would be neces-sary to reach agreement.

Key Termslegislative branch,executive branch,judicial branch, GreatCompromise, Three-FifthsCompromise, ElectoralCollege, Federalists,federalism,Anti-Federalists

Reading StrategyComparing andContrasting As you read,compare the Virginia Planto the New Jersey Plan bycompleting a Venn dia-gram like the one below.

Read to Learn• What plans of govern-

ment did delegatesoffer at theConstitutionalConvention?

• What compromiseswere agreed upon bythe delegates?

Creating andRatifying theConstitution

SECTION

Credit for the Great Compromise goes to Roger Sherman, whose name most Americans have never heard. As a boy, he was apprenticed to ashoemaker. Sherman’s thirst for knowledge led himto learn on his own, even resorting to reading whilesitting at his cobbler’s bench. When Sherman was19, his father died, and Sherman became the headof the household. Even as he struggled to supporthis mother and siblings, he read and acquiredknowledge. In time, a self-educated Shermanbecame a practicing attorney. From there,appointments as justice of the peace, as adelegate to the colonial assembly, and as judgeof the court of common pleas led him furtherinto a life of public service.

Two Opposing PlansThe delegates to the Constitutional Convention, like Roger

Sherman, were determined to create a framework of govern-ment that all states could accept. Everyone knew that failurecould mean disaster. Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts spokefor most when he said,

“I would bury my bones in this city rather than [leave] . . .the convention without anything being done.”

On May 29, 1787, shortly after the convention began, theVirginia delegates proposed a plan for the new government.James Madison had designed what became known as theVirginia Plan.

Under the Articles of Confederation, the national govern-ment had consisted of only a legislative branch with a one-house Congress. The Virginia Plan, by contrast, called for agovernment with three branches. In addition to the legislativebranch (the lawmakers), there would be an executive branch

VirginiaPlan

New JerseyPlan

Both

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Roger Sherman

Chapter 3 The Constitution 55North Wind Picture Archives

to carry out the laws and a judicialbranch—a system of courts—to interpretand apply the laws. The legislature, more-over, would be divided into two houses. Ineach house, states would be represented onthe basis of their population. Large stateswould have more votes than smaller states.

The Virginia Plan appealed to delegatesfrom Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and

New York, as well as Virginia. The smallstates, however, feared that a governmentdominated by the large states would ignoretheir interests.

After two weeks of angry discussion,William Paterson of New Jersey presentedan alternative proposal. The New JerseyPlan, as it is known, also called for threebranches of government. However, the leg-islature would have only one house andeach state would get one vote, as under theArticles of Confederation. Delegates fromDelaware, New Jersey, and Marylandapproved of this plan. It made their statesequal in power to the big states. Of course,the large states would not accept this plan.They thought larger states should havemore power than smaller states.

Contrasting How did theVirginia Plan differ from the New Jersey Plan?

Constitutional CompromisesFor six weeks the delegates debated the

merits of the two plans. Neither side wantedto give in. Some delegates even threatenedto leave the convention; yet all the delegatesshared the goal of creating a new constitu-tion, so they kept working.

The Great Compromise A committee headed by Roger Sherman

of Connecticut finally came up with ananswer. The committee proposed thatCongress have two houses—a Senate and aHouse of Representatives. Each state wouldhave equal representation in the Senate,which would please the small states. In theHouse, representation would be based onpopulation, which would please the bigstates. (See Chapter 6 for more information.)

After much discussion, the delegatesdecided to accept Sherman’s plan. No groupwas completely happy, but this was a solution

Sam Ervin (1896–1995)Sam J. Ervin, Jr., described him-self as nothing but an “oldcountry lawyer.” However, mem-bers of the U.S. Senate, wherehe served for 20 years, knewotherwise. Whenever Ervin, thecrusty senator from NorthCarolina, arched his eyebrows,they braced themselves for alecture in constitutional law.“Senator Sam,” as he came to

be known, believed the Constitution should befollowed to the letter.

Born in Morganton, North Carolina, Ervingained his love of the Constitution from hisfather, a fiery, self-taught lawyer. He defendedthe Constitution on the battlefields of WorldWar I and upheld it in the North Carolina statelegislature and on the North Carolina statesupreme court.

In the U.S. Senate, Ervin helped break thepower of Senator Joseph McCarthy, who hadfalsely charged hundreds of Americans in the1950s with communist activities. In 1974 heheaded the committee charged with investigat-ing wrongdoings by President Richard Nixon(known as the Watergate investigation). Ervinbelieved the Constitution was “the wisest instru-ment the earth has ever known.” He spent hislife ensuring that elected officials upheld it.

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CORBIS

with which all could live. Historians call Sherman’s plan the ConnecticutCompromise or the Great Compromise.(A compromise is a way of resolving dis-agreements in which each side gives upsomething but gains something else.)

The Three-Fifths Compromise Although the Great Compromise set-

tled the structure of Congress, questionsremained about how to calculate the popu-lation for purposes of representation. At thetime of the Constitutional Conventionmore than 550,000 African Americans,mostly in the South, were enslaved. TheSouthern states wanted to count these people as part of their populations toincrease their voting power in the House of Representatives. The Northern states,which had few enslaved persons, opposedthe idea.They argued that because enslavedpersons were not allowed to vote or other-wise participate in government, they shouldnot be used to give Southern states astronger voice in Congress.

In the Three-Fifths Compromise,delegates agreed that every five enslavedpersons would count as three free persons.Thus three-fifths of the slave population ineach state would be used in determiningrepresentation in Congress. That numberwould also be used in figuring taxes.

Other Compromises Northern and Southern delegates to the

convention compromised on trade matters,too. The Northern states felt that Congressshould be able to regulate both foreign com-merce and trade between the states. TheSouthern states, however, feared thatCongress would use this power to taxexports—goods sold to other countries. Ifthis happened, the Southern economywould suffer because it depended heavily onexports of tobacco, rice, and other products.

Southerners also feared that Congressmight stop slave traders from bringingenslaved people into the United States.Again, Southern delegates objected becauseSouthern plantations depended on thelabor of slaves. Again a compromise amongthe delegates would settle the issue.

ATLANTICOCEAN

GeorgiaJan. 2, 1788

SouthCarolina

May 23, 1788

North CarolinaNov. 21, 1789*

VirginiaJune 25, 1788

MarylandApril 28, 1788

DelawareDec. 7, 1787

New JerseyDec. 18, 1787

NewYork

July 26, 1788

ConnecticutJan. 9, 1788

MassachusettsFeb. 6, 1788

RhodeIsland

May 29, 1790

NewHampshireJune 21, 1788

PennsylvaniaDec. 12, 1787

* Ratification wasoriginally defeated;

date representssecond vote.

UnanimouslyratifiedStronglysupportedratificationStronglyopposedratificationRatified afterthe Constitutionbecame fullyeffective

N

E

S

W

0 100 200 miles

0 100 200 kilometersAlbers Equal-Area Projection

The Constitution sur-vived strong oppositionamong many of the 13states. Why were somestates hesitant to ratifythe Constitution?

The delegates signedthe Constitution aboutfour months after theyconvened.

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Chapter 3 The Constitution 57National Archives

Ratifying the Constitution

58 Chapter 3 The Constitution

After some discussion, the Southernstates agreed that Congress could regulatetrade between the states, as well as withother countries. In exchange, the Northagreed that Congress could not tax exports,nor could it interfere with the slave tradebefore 1808.

The delegates compromised on variousother disagreements about their new gov-ernment. Some delegates, for example,thought members of Congress shouldchoose the president; others believed thatthe people should vote to decide the presi-dency. The solution was the ElectoralCollege, a group of people who would benamed by each state legislature to select thepresident and vice president. The ElectoralCollege system is still used today, but thevoters in each state, not the legislatures,now choose electors.

Cause and Effect Whattwo arguments resulted in the ElectoralCollege compromise?

Approving the ConstitutionAll summer, the delegates to the

Constitutional Convention hammered outthe details of the new government. As theirwork drew to an end, some delegatesheaded home, but 42 remained. OnSeptember 17, 1787, they gathered for thelast time. A committee, headed byGouverneur Morris, had put their ideas inwriting, and the Constitution was ready tobe signed. All but three delegates signedtheir names at the bottom.

The next step was to win ratification, orapproval, of the Constitution.The delegateshad decided that each state would set up aratifying convention to vote “yes” or “no.”When at least 9 of the 13 states had ratifiedit, the Constitution would become thesupreme law of the land.

A Divided Public Americans reacted to the proposed

Constitution in different ways. Supportersof the document called themselvesFederalists. They chose this name toemphasize that the Constitution would create a system of federalism, a form ofgovernment in which power is dividedbetween the federal, or national, govern-ment and the states.

To win support, the Federalistsreminded Americans of the flaws in theArticles of Confederation. They argued thatthe United States would not survive withouta strong national government. In a series ofessays known as The Federalist, AlexanderHamilton, James Madison, and John Jaydefended the Constitution. Madison arguedin The Federalist, No. 10:

“A republic, by which I mean agovernment in which the scheme ofrepresentation takes place . . .promises the cure for which we areseeking. . . .”

Federal Hall New York City became the nation’stemporary capital. George Washington waselected president, and Congress met for the firsttime in 1789 in Federal Hall. The Constitutiontook effect after which state ratified it?

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North Wind Picture Archives

J.B. Handelsman

Checking for Understanding1. Key Terms Write short para-

graphs about the ConstitutionalConvention using the group ofterms below: Federalists,federalism, Anti-Federalists,Great Compromise.

Reviewing Main Ideas2. Identify With what issue did the

Three-Fifths Compromise deal?How did it resolve this issue?

3. Explain What was the purpose ofThe Federalist? Why did the Anti-Federalists object to theConstitution?

Critical Thinking4. Drawing Conclusions Why were

Southerners at the ConstitutionalConvention fearful of governmentcontrol of trade?

5. Comparing and Contrasting Ona graphic organizer like the onebelow, compare the views of theFederalists and the Anti-Federalists.

Analyzing Visuals 6. Interpret Examine the map on

page 57. Which states ratifiedthe Constitution after it tookeffect?

SECTION ASSESSMENT

Those who opposed the Constitution,the Anti-Federalists, felt that it gave toomuch power to the national governmentand took too much away from the states.The Anti-Federalists also objected to theabsence of a bill of rights.They thought theConstitution failed to provide protectionfor certain individual liberties, such as thefreedoms of speech and religion.

Reaching Agreement The Federalists eventually agreed

with the Anti-Federalists that a bill ofrights was a good idea. They promisedthat if the Constitution was adopted,the new government would add a bill ofrights to it.

That promise helped turn the tide.Several states had already voted for rat-ification. On June 21, 1788, New

Hampshire became the ninth state to do so,and the Constitution took effect. In time,the four remaining states ratified theConstitution, ending with Rhode Island in1790. The 13 independent states were nowone nation, the United States of America.

Identifying What promisehelped get the Constitution ratified?

Federalists Anti-Federalists

�BE AN ACTIVE CITIZEN�7. Survey Conduct a survey of at

least 10 adults in which you askthem whether they favor continu-ing the Electoral College oramending the Constitution tohave the presidency determinedby the popular vote. Ask respon-dents to explain their answers.

Chapter 3 The Constitution 59

Analyzing Visuals The writers of theConstitution looked to the future in manyways—including their decision to allowamendments to the document they created.What is the setting for this cartoon? Whatdo you imagine prompted the speaker tomake the statement he did?

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James Madison, author of the Constitution

The Constitution of the United States is truly aremarkable document. It was one of the first writ-ten constitutions in modern history. The Framerswanted to devise a plan for a strong central governmentthat would unify the country, as well as preserve theideals of the Declaration of Independence. The documentthey wrote created a representative legislature, the officeof president, a system of courts, and a process for addingamendments. For over 200 years, the flexibility andstrength of the Constitution has guided the nation’s polit-ical leaders. The document has become a symbol of prideand a force for national unity.

The entire text of the Constitutionand its amendments follows. For eas-ier study, those passages that havebeen set aside or changed by the adop-tion of amendments are printed inblue. Also included are explanatorynotes that will help clarify the mean-ing of each article and section.

(l)Library of Congress, (r)Wes Thompson/The Stock Market

PreambleWe the People of the United States, in Order to form

a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domesticTranquility, 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.

The Preamble introduces the Constitu-tion and sets forth the general purposesfor which the government was estab-lished. The Preamble also declares thatthe power of the government comesfrom the people.

The printed text of the documentshows the spelling and punctuation ofthe parchment original.

What It MeansRepresentation The number of represen-tatives from each state is based on thesize of the state’s population. Each stateis entitled to at least one representative.What are the qualifications for membersof the House of Representatives?

What It MeansArticle I. The Legislative Branch TheConstitution contains seven divisionscalled articles. Each article covers a gen-eral topic. For example, Articles I, II, andIII create the three branches of thenational government—the legislative,executive, and judicial branches. Most ofthe articles are divided into sections.

Vocabularypreamble: introductionconstitution: principles and laws ofa nationenumeration: census or populationcountimpeachment: bringing chargesagainst an official

61

Article ISection 1

All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of aSenate and House of Representatives.

Section 2[1.] The House of Representatives shall be composed of

Members chosen every second Year by the People of theseveral States, and the Electors in each State shall have theQualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerousBranch of the State Legislature.[2.] No person shall be a Representative who shall not have

attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Yearsa Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected,be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.[3.] Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned

among the several States which may be included within thisUnion, according to their respective Numbers, which shall bedetermined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons,including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, andexcluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years afterthe first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, andwithin every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner asthey shall by Law direct. The Number of Representatives shallnot exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shallhave at Least one Representative; and until such enumerationshall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled tochuse three; Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island andProvidence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York six,New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Marylandsix, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, andGeorgia three.[4.] When vacancies happen in the Representation from any

State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs ofElection to fill such Vacancies.[5.] The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker

and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power ofImpeachment.

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Section 3[1.] The Senate of the United States shall be composed of

two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislaturethereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.[2.] Immediately after they shall be assembled in

Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided asequally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of theSenators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expirationof the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration ofthe fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration ofthe sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every secondYear; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise,during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, theExecutive thereof may make temporary Appointments untilthe next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fillsuch Vacancies.[3.] No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have

attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years aCitizen of the United States, and who shall not, whenelected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.[4.] The Vice President of the United States shall be

President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless theybe equally divided.[5.] The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a

President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President,or when he shall exercise the Office of the President of theUnited States.[6.] The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all

Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall beon Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the UnitedStates is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Personshall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds ofthe Members present.[7.] Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend

further than to removal from Office, and disqualification tohold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under theUnited States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless beliable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment andPunishment, according to Law.

Section 4[1.] The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for

Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in eachState by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at anytime by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to thePlaces of chusing Senators.[2.] The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year,

and such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December,unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day.

Vocabularypresident pro tempore: presidingofficer of Senate who serves whenthe vice president is absentindictment: charging a person withan offensequorum: minimum number ofmembers that must be present toconduct sessionsadjourn: to suspend a sessionimmunity privilege: memberscannot be sued or prosecuted foranything they say in Congressemoluments: salariesbill: draft of a proposed lawrevenue: income raised bygovernment

What It MeansElecting Senators Originally, senatorswere chosen by the state legislators of theirown states. The Seventeenth Amendmentchanged this, so that senators are nowelected by the people. There are 100 sena-tors, 2 from each state. The vice presidentserves as president of the Senate.

What It MeansImpeachment One of Congress’s powersis the power to impeach—to accuse gov-ernment officials of wrongdoing, put themon trial, and if necessary remove themfrom office. Which body has the power todecide the official’s guilt or innocence?

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John Adams, the first vice president

62White House Historical Association

Section 5[1.] Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns

and Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of eachshall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smallerNumber may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorizedto compel the Attendance of absent Members, in such Manner,and under such Penalties as each House may provide.[2.] Each House may determine the Rules of its

Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behaviour,and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member.[3.] Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and

from time to time publish the same, excepting such Parts asmay in their Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas and Naysof the Members of either House on any question shall, at theDesire of one fifth of those Present, be entered on the Journal.[4.] Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall,

without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more thanthree days, nor to any other Place than that in which the twoHouses shall be sitting.

Section 6[1.] The Senators and Representatives shall receive a

Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law,and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They shallin all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace,be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at theSession of their respective Houses, and in going to andreturning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate ineither House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.[2.] No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for

which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office underthe Authority of the United States, which shall have beencreated, or the Emoluments whereof shall have beenencreased during such time; and no Person holding anyOffice under the United States, shall be a Member of eitherHouse during his Continuance in Office.

Section 7[1.] All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the

House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose orconcur with Amendments as on other Bills.[2.] Every Bill which shall have passed the House of

Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become aLaw, be presented to the President of the United States; If heapprove he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with hisObjections to that House in which it shall have originated,who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, andproceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration twothirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall besent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by

Senate gavel

63PhotoDisk

What It MeansWhere Tax Laws Begin All tax lawsmust originate in the House of Rep-resentatives. This ensures that thebranch of Congress that is elected by thepeople every two years has the majorrole in determining taxes.

What It MeansHow Bills Become Laws A bill maybecome a law only by passing bothhouses of Congress and by being signedby the president. The president cancheck Congress by rejecting—vetoing—itslegislation. How can Congress overridethe president’s veto?

What It MeansCongressional Salaries To strengthenthe federal government, the Founders setcongressional salaries to be paid by theUnited States Treasury rather than bymembers’ respective states. Originally,members were paid $6 per day. In 2005,all members of Congress received a basesalary of $165,200.

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Civil War money

What It MeansPowers of Congress Expressed powersare those powers directly stated in theConstitution. Most of the expressed pow-ers of Congress are listed in Article I,Section 8. These powers are also calledenumerated powers because they arenumbered 1–18. Which clause givesCongress the power to declare war?

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which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved bytwo thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in allsuch Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined byyeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for andagainst the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each Houserespectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the Presidentwithin ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have beenpresented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner asif he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjourn-ment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.[3.] Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the

Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representativesmay be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment)shall be presented to the President of the United States; andbefore the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him,or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by twothirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, accordingto the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.

Section 8[1.] The Congress shall have the Power To lay and collect

Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts andprovide for the common Defence and general Welfare of theUnited States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall beuniform throughout the United States;[2.] To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;[3.] To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and

among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;[4.] To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and

uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout theUnited States;[5.] To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of for-

eign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;[6.] To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the

Securities and current Coin of the United States;[7.] To establish Post Offices and post Roads;[8.] To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by

securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors theexclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;[9.] To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;[10.] To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed

on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;[11.] To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal,

and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;[12.] To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of

Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;[13.] To provide and maintain a Navy;[14.] To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of

the land and naval Forces;[15.] To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the

Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

Vocabularyresolution: legislature’s formalexpression of opinionnaturalization: procedure by whicha citizen of a foreign nation becomesa citizen of the United States.tribunal: a courtletter of marque: authority given toa citizen to outfit an armed shipand use it to attack enemy ships intime of warreprisal: taking by force property orterritory belonging to anothercountry or to its citizensinsurrection: rebellion

64CORBIS

[16.] To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining,the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may beemployed in the Service of the United States, reserving tothe States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, andthe Authority of training the Militia according to the disci-pline prescribed by Congress;[17.] To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatso-

ever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) asmay, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance ofCongress, become the Seat of Government of the UnitedStates, and to exercise like Authority over all Places pur-chased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State inwhich the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines,Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings, —And[18.] To make all Laws which shall be necessary and

proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers,and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in theGovernment of the United States, or in any Department orOfficer thereof.

Section 9[1]. The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of

the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall notbe prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thou-sand eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may beimposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars foreach Person.[2.] The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be

suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasionthe public Safety may require it.[3.] No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be

passed.[4.] No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless

in Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein beforedirected to be taken.[5.] No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from

any State.[6.] No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of

Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those ofanother: nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one State, beobliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another.[7.] No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in

Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regularStatement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures ofall public Money shall be published from time to time.[8.] No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United

States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trustunder them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress,accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of anykind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.

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What It MeansElastic Clause The final enumeratedpower is often called the “elastic clause.”This clause gives Congress the right tomake all laws “necessary and proper” tocarry out the powers expressed in theother clauses of Article I. It is called theelastic clause because it lets Congress“stretch” its powers to meet situations theFounders could never have anticipated.

What does the phrase “necessary andproper” in the elastic clause mean?Almost from the beginning, this phrasewas a subject of dispute. The issue waswhether a strict or a broad interpretationof the Constitution should be applied.The dispute was first addressed in 1819,in the case of McCulloch v. Maryland,when the Supreme Court ruled in favor ofa broad interpretation.

What It MeansHabeas Corpus A writ of habeas corpusissued by a judge requires a law officialto bring a prisoner to court and showcause for holding the prisoner. A bill ofattainder is a bill that punished a personwithout a jury trial. An “ex post facto” lawis one that makes an act a crime after theact has been committed. What does theConstitution say about bills of attainder?

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Section 10[1.] No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or

Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coinMoney; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold andsilver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill ofAttainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing theObligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.[2.] No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay

any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except whatmay be absolutely necessary for executing it’s inspectionLaws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid byany State on Imports and Exports, shall be for the Use of theTreasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall besubject to the Revision and Controul of the Congress.[3.] No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay

any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in timeof Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with anotherState, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actu-ally invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admitof delay.

Article IISection 1[1.] The executive Power shall be vested in a President of

the United States of America. He shall hold his Office duringthe Term of four Years, and, together with the VicePresident, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows[2.] Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the

Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal tothe whole Number of Senators and Representatives to whichthe State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator orRepresentative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profitunder the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.[3.] The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and

vote by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shallnot be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. Andthey shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of theNumber of Votes for each; which List they shall sign andcertify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government ofthe United States, directed to the President of the Senate.The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of theSenate and House of Representatives, open all theCertificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Personhaving the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President,if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number ofElectors appointed; and if there be more than one who havesuch Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then theHouse of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballotone of them for President; and if no person have a Majority,

Vocabularyappropriations: funds set aside fora specific useemolument: paymentimpost: taxduty: tax

What It MeansLimitations on the States Section 10lists limits on the states. These restric-tions were designed, in part, to preventan overlapping in functions and authoritywith the federal government.

United Statescoins

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What It MeansArticle II. The Executive Branch ArticleII creates an executive branch to carry outlaws passed by Congress. Article II liststhe powers and duties of the presidency,describes qualifications for office and pro-cedures for electing the president, andprovides for a vice president.

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then from the five highest on the List the said House shall inlike Manner chuse the President. But in chusing thePresident, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representa-tion from each State having one Vote; A quorum for thisPurpose shall consist of a Member or Members from twothirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall benecessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of thePresident, the Person having the greatest Number of Votesof the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there shouldremain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shallchuse from them by Ballot the Vice President.[4.] The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the

Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes;which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.[5.] No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of

the United States, at the time of the Adoption of thisConstitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President;neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shallnot have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and beenfourteen Years a Resident within the United States.[6.] In Case of the Removal of the President from Office,

or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge thePowers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolveon the Vice President, and the Congress may by Law pro-vide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation orInability, both of the President and Vice President, declaringwhat Officer shall then act as President, and such Officershall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or aPresident shall be elected.[7.] The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his

Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be encreasednor diminished during the Period for which he shall havebeen elected, and he shall not receive within that Period anyother Emolument from the United States, or any of them.[8.] Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall

take the following Oath or Affirmation:—“I do solemnlyswear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office ofPresident of the United States, and will to the best of myAbility, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of theUnited States.”

Section 2[1.] The President shall be Commander in Chief of the

Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia ofthe several States, when called into the actual Service of theUnited States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of theprincipal Officer in each of the executive Departments, uponany Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices,and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons forOffences against the United States, except in Cases ofImpeachment.

What It MeansPrevious Elections The Twelfth Amend-ment, added in 1804, changed the methodof electing the president stated in Article II,Section 3. The Twelfth Amendmentrequires that the electors cast separateballots for president and vice president.

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What It MeansQualifications The president must be acitizen of the United States by birth, atleast 35 years of age, and a resident ofthe United States for 14 years.

What It MeansVacancies If the president dies, resigns,is removed from office by impeachment,or is unable to carry out the duties of theoffice, the vice president becomes presi-dent. The Twenty-fifth Amendment setsprocedures for presidential succession.

What It MeansSalary Originally, the president’s salarywas $25,000 per year. The president’scurrent salary is $400,000 plus a$50,000 nontaxable expense accountper year. The president also receives liv-ing accommodations in two residences—the White House and Camp David.

What It MeansThe Cabinet Mention of “the principalofficer in each of the executive depart-ments” is the only suggestion of the pres-ident’s cabinet to be found in theConstitution. The cabinet is an advisorybody, and its power depends on the pres-ident. Section 2, Clause 1 also makes thepresident—a civilian—the head of thearmed services. This established the prin-ciple of civilian control of the military.

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[2.] He shall have Power, by and with the Advice andConsent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirdsof the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, andby and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shallappoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls,Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of theUnited States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwiseprovided for, and which shall be established by Law: but theCongress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferiorOfficers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in theCourts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.[3.] The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies

that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by grant-ing Commissions which shall expire at the End of their nextSession.

Section 3He shall from time to time give to the Congress

Information of the State of the Union, and recommend totheir Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessaryand expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, conveneboth Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreementbetween them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, hemay adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; heshall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; heshall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shallCommission all the Officers of the United States.

Section 4The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the

United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeach-ment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other highCrimes and Misdemeanors.

Article IIISection 1

The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested inone supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as theCongress may from time to time ordain and establish. TheJudges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall holdtheir Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at statedTimes, receive for their Services, a Compensation, whichshall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.

Section 2[1.] The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and

Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of theUnited States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made,under their Authority;—to all Cases affecting Ambassadors,

Impeachment ticket

What It MeansStatute Law Federal courts deal mostlywith “statute law,” or laws passed byCongress, treaties, and cases involvingthe Constitution itself.

What It MeansArticle III. The Judicial Branch Theterm judicial refers to courts. TheConstitution set up only the SupremeCourt, but provided for the establish-ment of other federal courts. The judici-ary of the United States has two differentsystems of courts. One system consistsof the federal courts, whose powersderive from the Constitution and federallaws. The other includes the courts ofeach of the 50 states, whose powersderive from state constitutions and laws.

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What It MeansPresidential Powers An executiveorder is a command issued by a presi-dent to exercise a power which he hasbeen given by the U.S. Constitution or bya federal statute. In times of emergency,presidents sometimes have used theexecutive order to override the Con-stitution of the United States and theCongress. During the Civil War, PresidentLincoln suspended many fundamentalrights guaranteed in the Constitutionand the Bill of Rights. He closed downnewspapers that opposed his policiesand imprisoned some who disagreedwith him. Lincoln said that these actionswere justified to preserve the Union.

68file photo

other public Ministers and Consuls;—to all Cases of admi-ralty and maritime Jurisdiction;—to Controversies to whichthe United States shall be a Party;—to Controversiesbetween two or more States;—between a State and Citizensof another State;—between Citizens of different States,—between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands underGrants of different States, and between a State, or theCitizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.[2.] In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public

Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall beParty, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Courtshall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact,with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as theCongress shall make.[3.] The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeach-

ment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in theState where the said Crimes shall have been committed; butwhen not committed within any State, the Trial shall be atsuch Place or Places as the Congress may by Law havedirected.

Section 3[1.] Treason against the United States, shall consist only in

levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies,giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convictedof Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to thesame overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.[2.] The Congress shall have Power to declare the

Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shallwork Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during theLife of the Person attainted.

Article IVSection 1

Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to thepublic Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every otherState. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe theManner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shallbe proved, and the Effect thereof.

Section 2[1.] The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all

Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.[2.] A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or

other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found inanother State, shall on Demand of the executive Authority ofthe State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removedto the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime.

Vocabularyoriginal jurisdiction: authority tobe the first court to hear a caseappellate jurisdiction: authority tohear cases that have been appealedfrom lower courtstreason: violation of the allegianceowed by a person to his or her owncountry, for example, by aiding anenemy

What It MeansThe Supreme Court A Court with “orig-inal jurisdiction” has the authority to bethe first court to hear a case. TheSupreme Court has “appellate jurisdic-tion” and mostly hears cases appealedfrom lower courts.

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What It MeansArticle IV. Relations Among the StatesArticle IV explains the relationship of thestates to one another and to the nationalgovernment. This article requires eachstate to give citizens of other states thesame rights as its own citizens, addressesadmitting new states, and guaranteesthat the national government will protectthe states.

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[3.] No Person held to Service of Labour in one State, underthe Laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequenceof any Law or Regulation therein, be discharged from suchService or Labour, but shall be delivered up on Claim of theParty to whom such Service or Labour may be due.

Section 3[1.] New States may be admitted by the Congress into this

Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected withinthe Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formedby the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States,without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States con-cerned as well as of the Congress.[2.] The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make

all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory orother Property belonging to the United States; and nothingin this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice anyClaims of the United States, or of any particular State.

Section 4The United States shall guarantee to every State in this

Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protecteach of them against Invasion; and on Application of theLegislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannotbe convened) against domestic Violence.

Article VThe Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall

deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to thisConstitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of twothirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for pro-posing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid toall Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, whenratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the severalStates, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the oneor the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by theCongress; Provided that no Amendment which may be madeprior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shallin any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the NinthSection of the first Article; and that no State, without itsConsent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.

Article VI[1.] All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into,

before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as validagainst the United States under this Constitution, as underthe Confederation.

Vocabularyextradition: surrender of a criminalto another authorityamendment: a change to theConstitution ratification: process by which anamendment is approved

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What It MeansNew States Congress has the power toadmit new states. It also determines thebasic guidelines for applying for state-hood. Two states, Maine and WestVirginia, were created within the bound-aries of another state. In the case of WestVirginia, President Lincoln recognized theWest Virginia government as the legalgovernment of Virginia during the CivilWar. This allowed West Virginia to secedefrom Virginia without obtaining approvalfrom the Virginia legislature.

What It MeansRepublic Government can be classifiedin many different ways. The ancient GreekPhilosopher Aristotle classified govern-ment based on the question: Whogoverns? According to Aristotle, all gov-ernments belong to one of three majorgroups: (1) autocracy—rule by one per-son; (2) oligarchy—rule by a few persons;or (3) democracy—rule by many persons.A republic is a form of democracy in whichthe people elect representatives to makethe laws and conduct government.

What It MeansArticle V. The Amendment ProcessArticle V spells out the ways that theConstitution can be amended, orchanged. All of the 27 amendments wereproposed by a two-thirds vote of bothhouses of Congress. Only the Twenty-firstAmendment was ratified by constitutionalconventions of the states. All otheramendments have been ratified by statelegislatures. What is an amendment?

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[2.] This Constitution, and the Laws of the United Stateswhich shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treatiesmade, or which shall be made, under the Authority of theUnited States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; andthe Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thingin the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrarynotwithstanding.[3.] The Senators and Representatives before mentioned,

and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and allexecutive and judicial Officers, both of the United States andof the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation,to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall everbe required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trustunder the United States.

Article VIIThe Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall

be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitutionbetween the States so ratifying the Same.

Done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of theStates present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Yearof our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty sevenand of the Independence of the United States of America theTwelfth. In witness whereof We have hereunto subscribedour Names,

What It MeansArticle VI. National Supremacy ArticleVI contains the “supremacy clause.” Thisclause establishes that the Constitution,laws passed by Congress, and treaties ofthe United States “shall be the supremeLaw of the Land.” The “supremacyclause” recognized the Constitution andfederal laws as supreme when in conflictwith those of the states.

What It MeansArticle VII. Ratification Article VIIaddresses ratification and declares thatthe Constitution would take effect after itwas ratified by nine states.

New HampshireJohn LangdonNicholas Gilman

MassachusettsNathaniel GorhamRufus King

ConnecticutWilliam Samuel JohnsonRoger Sherman

New YorkAlexander Hamilton

New JerseyWilliam LivingstonDavid BrearleyWilliam PatersonJonathan Dayton

PennsylvaniaBenjamin FranklinThomas MifflinRobert MorrisGeorge ClymerThomas FitzSimonsJared IngersollJames WilsonGouverneur Morris

DelawareGeorge ReadGunning Bedford, Jr.John DickinsonRichard BassettJacob Broom

MarylandJames McHenryDaniel of St. Thomas JeniferDaniel Carroll

VirginiaJohn BlairJames Madison, Jr.

North CarolinaWilliam BlountRichard Dobbs SpaightHugh Williamson

South CarolinaJohn RutledgeCharles Cotesworth PinckneyCharles PinckneyPierce Butler

GeorgiaWilliam FewAbraham Baldwin

Attest: William Jackson, Secretary

SignersGeorge Washington, President and Deputy from Virginia

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Civics Today: Citizenship, Economics, & YouTable of ContentsPreviewing Your TextbookScavenger HuntNational Geographic Reference AtlasUnited States: PoliticalWorld: PoliticalUnited States 2000 Congressional Reapportionment

Reading Skills HandbookIdentifying Words and Building VocabularyReading for a ReasonUnderstanding What You ReadThinking About Your ReadingUnderstanding Text StructureReading for Research

Be an Active ReaderBe an Active CitizenWhy Study Civics?Unit 1: Foundations of American CitizenshipChapter 1: Citizenship and Government in a DemocracySection 1: Government of the People, by the People, for the PeopleSection 2: The Path to CitizenshipSection 3: The Diversity of Americans

Chapter 2: Roots of American DemocracySection 1: Our English HeritageSection 2: The Birth of a Democratic NationSection 3: The Nation's First GovernmentsThe Declaration of Independence

Chapter 3: The ConstitutionSection 1: The Road to the ConstitutionSection 2: Creating and Ratifying the ConstitutionThe Constitution of the United States

Chapter 4: The Bill of RightsSection 1: The First AmendmentSection 2: Other Guarantees in the Bill of RightsSection 3: Extending the Bill of RightsSection 4: The Civil Rights StruggleChapter 4 Assessment & Activities

Chapter 5: The Citizen and the CommunitySection 1: The Duties and Responsibilities of CitizenshipSection 2: Volunteering in Your CommunityChapter 5 Assessment & Activities

Unit 2: The National GovernmentChapter 6: CongressSection 1: How Congress Is OrganizedSection 2: The Powers of CongressSection 3: Representing the People

Chapter 7: The President and the Executive BranchSection 1: The President and Vice PresidentSection 2: The President's JobSection 3: Making Foreign PolicySection 4: Presidential Advisers and Executive Agencies

Chapter 8: The Judicial BranchSection 1: The Federal Court SystemSection 2: How Federal Courts Are OrganizedSection 3: The United States Supreme CourtSection 4: Deciding Cases at the Supreme Court

Unit 3: Political Parties and Interest GroupsChapter 9: Political Parties and PoliticsSection 1: Development of American Political PartiesSection 2: Organization of American Political PartiesSection 3: Role of Political Parties TodayChapter 9 Assessment & Activities

Chapter 10: Voting and ElectionsSection 1: Who Can Vote?Section 2: Election CampaignsSection 3: Paying for Election CampaignsChapter 10 Assessment & Activities

Chapter 11: Influencing GovernmentSection 1: Public OpinionSection 2: The Mass MediaSection 3: Interest GroupsChapter 11 Assessment & Activities

Unit 4: State and Local GovernmentChapter 12: State GovernmentSection 1: The Federal SystemSection 2: The State Legislative BranchSection 3: The State Executive BranchSection 4: The State Judicial Branch

Chapter 13: Local GovernmentSection 1: City GovernmentSection 2: County GovernmentsSection 3: Towns, Townships, and VillagesChapter 13 Assessment & Activities

Chapter 14: Dealing With Community IssuesSection 1: How a Community Handles IssuesSection 2: Education and Social IssuesSection 3: Environmental IssuesChapter 14 Assessment & Activities

Unit 5: The Individual, the Law, and the InternetChapter 15: Legal Rights and ResponsibilitiesSection 1: The Sources of Our LawsSection 2: Types of LawsSection 3: The American Legal SystemChapter 15 Assessment & Activities

Chapter 16: Civil and Criminal LawSection 1: Civil CasesSection 2: Criminal CasesSection 3: Young People and the CourtsChapter 16 Assessment & Activities

Chapter 17: Citizenship and the InternetSection 1: Civic ParticipationSection 2: Challenges for DemocracySection 3: Regulating the InternetChapter 17 Assessment & Activities

Unit 6: The Economy and the IndividualChapter 18: What Is Economics?Section 1: The Fundamental Economic ProblemSection 2: Making Economic DecisionsSection 3: Being an Economically Smart CitizenChapter 18 Assessment & Activities

Chapter 19: The American EconomySection 1: Economic ResourcesSection 2: Economic Activity and ProductivitySection 3: Capitalism and Free EnterpriseSection 4: The Economy and You

Chapter 20: DemandSection 1: What Is Demand?Section 2: Factors Affecting DemandChapter 20 Assessment & Activities

Chapter 21: SupplySection 1: What Is Supply?Section 2: Factors Affecting SupplySection 3: Markets and PricesChapter 21 Assessment & Activities

Chapter 22: Business and LaborSection 1: Types of BusinessesSection 2: Labor UnionsSection 3: Businesses in Our EconomyChapter 22 Assessment & Activities

Unit 7: The Free Enterprise SystemChapter 23: Government and the EconomySection 1: The Role of GovernmentSection 2: Measuring the EconomySection 3: Government, the Economy, and You

Chapter 24: Money and BankingSection 1: What Is Money?Section 2: The Federal Reserve SystemSection 3: How Banks OperateChapter 24 Assessment & Activities

Chapter 25: Government FinancesSection 1: The Federal GovernmentSection 2: State and Local GovernmentsSection 3: Managing the EconomyChapter 25 Assessment & Activities

Unit 8: The United States and the WorldChapter 26: Comparing Economic SystemsSection 1: International Trade and Its BenefitsSection 2: Economic SystemsSection 3: Economies in Transition

Chapter 27: Comparing Systems of GovernmentSection 1: Types of GovernmentSection 2: A Profile of Great BritainSection 3: A Profile of ChinaChapter 27 Assessment & Activities

Chapter 28: An Interdependent WorldSection 1: Global DevelopmentsSection 2: The United NationsSection 3: Democracy and Human RightsChapter 28 Assessment & Activities

AppendixWhat Is an Appendix and How Do I Use One?Honoring AmericaCareers HandbookGovernment and Economics Data BankUnited States FactsPresidents of the United StatesDocuments of American HistorySupreme Court Case SummariesGlossarySpanish GlossaryIndexAcknowledgments

Feature ContentsTIMETIME Political CartoonsTIME Teens in ActionTIME An Inside Look At...

Fact Fiction FolkloreStreet Law™: The Law and YouAmerican BiographiesSkillbuilderCritical ThinkingCitizenshipTechnology

Issues to DebateEconomics and YouDocuments of American HistoryLandmark Supreme Court Case StudiesCharts, Graphs, and MapsCharts and GraphsMaps

Student WorkbooksActive Reading Note-Taking Guide - Student EditionChapter 1: Citizenship and Government in a DemocracySection 1: Government of the People, by the People, for the PeopleSection 2: The Path to CitizenshipSection 3: The Diversity of Americans

Haitian Creole SummariesChapit 1: Sitwayènte ak Gouvènman nan yon DemokrasiChapit 2: Rasin Demokrasi Ameriken anChapit 3: Konstitisyon anChapit 4: "Bill of Rights" laChapit 5: Sitwayen an ak Kominote aChapit 6: Kongrè aChapit 7: Prezidan an ak Branch Egzekitif laChapit 8: Branch Jidisyè aChapit 9: Pati Politik ak PolitikChapit 10: Vòt ak EleksyonChapit 11: Enfliyans Gouvènman anChapit 12: Gouvènman Deta aChapit 13: Gouvènman LokalChapit 14: Okipe Pwoblèm Kominote aChapit 15: Dwa ak Responsabilite devan LalwaChapit 16: Lwa Sivil ak KriminèlChapit 17: Sitwayènte ak Entènet laChapit 18: Ki sa yo rele Syans Ekonomik?

Reading Essentials and Study Guide - Student EditionChapter 1: Citizenship and Government in a DemocracySection 1: Government of the People, by the People, for the PeopleSection 2: The Path to CitizenshipSection 3: The Diversity of Americans

Chapter 2: Roots of American DemocracySection 1: Our English Heritage

Spanish Reading Essentials and Study Guide - Student EditionCapítulo 1: La ciudadanía y el gobierno en una democraciaSección 1: Gobierno del pueblo, por el pueblo y para el puebloSección 2: El camino a la ciudadaníaSección 3: La diversidad de los estadounidenses

Capítulo 2: Las raíces de la democracia estadounidensesSección 1: Nuestra herencia inglesa

Spanish SummariesCapítulo 1: La ciudadanía y el gobierno en una democraciaCapítulo 2: Las raíces de la democracia estadounidensesCapítulo 3: La ConstituciónCapítulo 4: La Declaración de DerechosCapítulo 5: El ciudadano y la comunidadCapítulo 6: El gobierno nacionalCapítulo 7: El presidente y el poder ejecutivoCapítulo 8: El poder judicialCapítulo 9: Los partidos políticos y la política

Standardized Test Skills Practice Workbook - Student EditionActivity 1: Interpreting Charts and Tables Activity 2: Using Time LinesActivity 3: Interpreting Diagrams Activity 4: Identifying the Main Idea Activity 5: Interpreting a Visual Image Activity 6: Using a Bar Graph to Interpret Data Activity 7: Interpreting Graphs

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