Constitution overview abbreviated for 8th grade

The United States Constitution

ARTICLE 1 – The Legislative Branch

⌂ Two Houses are set up

⌂ House of Representatives⌂ each state should have at least one

representative⌂ term is 2 years⌂ all seats are up each two-year cycle⌂ number determined by population

⌂ Senate⌂ each state has two representative⌂ Term is 6 years⌂ One-third of the seats are chosen

every other year



⌂ House of Representatives

⌂ Membership requirements⌂ 25 years old⌂ 7 years as a citizen⌂ Must be an inhabitant of the state

where you are being elected

⌂ Number of Representative per State⌂ 1 Rep for every 500,000⌂ Number of seats determined by

Census (every 10 years)



⌂ Senate

⌂ Membership requirements⌂ 30 years old⌂ 9 years as a citizen⌂ Must be an inhabitant of the state

where you are being elected

⌂ Number of Representative per State⌂ 2 Senators for each state



⌂ Other points⌂ All bills dealing with money must

originate in the House

⌂ Congress must keep a journal of its proceedings – Congressional Quarterly

⌂ Congress must meet at least once a year and cannot move its

location



⌂ Congress has the following powers⌂ Borrow money

⌂ Regulate trade

⌂ Declare war

⌂ Maintain an army and navy

⌂ Set up federal courts

⌂ Establish rules on citizenship

⌂ Punish crimes on ships at sea

⌂ Make all laws “necessary and proper” aka (the elastic clause)



⌂ Congress CANNOT⌂ suspend the writ of habeas corpus

(right of being charged with a crime)

⌂ Tax exports

⌂ pass laws ex post facto (after the fact)

⌂ spend money they have not accounted for by law or by budget

⌂ make trade laws that only help one state over another



⌂ What States CANNOT do⌂ make treaties with other countries

⌂ coin money

⌂ tax imports (without the consent of Congress)

⌂ keep a regular Army (State militias are okay)

⌂ wage war (unless it is defensive)



⌂ Impeachment

⌂ What does it mean?⌂ An official can be removed from office

if found guilty of committing an impeachable offense

⌂ The House has sole power to bring up charges of impeachment

⌂ The Senate conducts the trial of the official with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presiding.

⌂ Conviction (by a 2/3 vote) can only mean removal from office, but more can happen outside Congress.


ARTICLE 1 – How a Bill becomes a Law

⌂ Ideas are presented to Congress (ALL bills concerning money must originate in the House)

⌂ Both the House and the Senate must approve the idea (a bill) by a majority vote

⌂ Bill must be signed by the President or the President holds it for 10 days without signing it

⌂ Then it is a LAW


ARTICLE 1 – The Veto Process

⌂ The President can veto a bill by not signing it and sending it back to Congress

⌂ The rejected bill must then pass both houses of Congress by a two-thirds vote

⌂ If it does, then it automatically becomes a law without the President’s signature


ARTICLE 2 – The Executive Branch

⌂ President’s term is 4 years⌂ Each state selects “electors” who

vote for the President⌂ Electoral representation equals

the number of Representatives + 2 for Senators

⌂ Congress sets when electors meet and vote for the President

⌂ Constitution did not originally determine how a VP was selected



Requirements to be President⌂ Must be a natural-born citizen

⌂ Must be at least 35 years old

⌂ Must be a resident of the United States for 14 years

How has that affected who was eligible?



The President is paid for his duty

His salary cannot be adjusted during his current term

He must swear an oath to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States”

Why do we make a note that we pay the Prez?



Duties and Powers of the President

⌂ Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces

⌂ Can grant pardons (or delays in punishment) except for impeachment

⌂ Nominate ambassadors and Supreme Court Justices (with Senate approval)




⌂ Gives a “State of the Union” address to Congress

⌂ Receives foreign ambassadors (official recognition of a country)

⌂ Make treaties (but Congress must approve them)




⌂ He can call a special session of Congress

⌂ When the Senate is not in session, the President can make temporary appointments

“he shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed”


ARTICLE 2 – Impeachment

What is an impeachable offense?

⌂ “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors”

If convicted, the President (or any other official shall be removed from office


ARTICLE 3 – The Judicial Branch

Judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court

Congress sets up the “inferior courts” (What are those?)

Federal Courts (inferior courts) hear cases involving

⌂ the Constitution⌂ treaties between the US

and other countries⌂ other federal laws⌂ cases between states


ARTICLE 3 – The Judicial Branch

Federal Courts (inferior courts) here cases involving

⌂ citizens and another country⌂ states and another country⌂ Any other cases where the

US government is a party

Trial by jury is for all cases besides impeachment

Treason is defined here – waging war against the US and giving aid to anyone who does this

Congress decides punishment, but cannot take away their civil rights


The Rest of the Story!

States laws must recognize each others laws

Citizens cannot be denied their rights in other states

States must return criminals to the origin of the crime - extradition

Congress makes all rules governing territories

Congress decides when a state is admitted into the Union

THE CONSTITUTION SHALL BE CONSIDERED THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND


The Rest of the Story!

Oh yeah, and the government officials cannot be required to take a religious oath

This is where they get that idea of separation of church and state

Although it isn’t really mentioned by name!

So, how do we change this thing?????


Amending the Constitution

2/3 of BOTH Houses must approve and amendment proposal

2/3 of the States must call for a national convention

¾ of the State legislatures can adopt an amendment

¾ of the States hold special conventions

Congress decides on the method used


Ratification Process

And it only took 9 states’ approval for this to be newly adopted!

Quite a revolution!

Education

Constitution overview abbreviated for 8th grade