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
Section 1. The Legislative Power
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
1. The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch 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 Years a 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 this Union…)
4. When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.
5. The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.
Section 3. The Senate
1. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, 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 as equally as may be into three Classes.
3. No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, 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 they be 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 President of the United States.
6. The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States.
Section 4. Elections, Meetings
1. The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations.
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.
Section 5. Rules, Journals, Quorum
1. Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members…
2. Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings…
3. Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings…
4. Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days…
Section 6. Compensation, Privileges, Disabilities
1. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services…
2. The Senators and Representatives shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest…
3. No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office… which shall have been created…
Section 7. Revenue Bills, Legislative Process, Presidential Veto
1. All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives…
2. Every Bill… shall be presented to the President…
3. Every Order, Resolution, or Vote… shall be presented to the President…
Section 8. Powers of Congress
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises… To borrow Money… To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations… To establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization… To coin Money… To establish Post Offices… To promote the Progress of Science… To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court… To declare War… To raise and support Armies… To provide and maintain a Navy… To make Rules for the Government… of the land and naval Forces… To provide for calling forth the Militia… To provide for organizing, arming… the Militia… To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases… over such District… To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper…
Section 9. Limits on Congress
1. The Migration or Importation of such Persons… shall not be prohibited… prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight…
2. The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended…
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…
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…
7. No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury…
8. No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States…
Section 10. Limits on the States
1. No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation…
2. No State shall… lay Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports…
3. No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage…
4. No State shall… keep Troops… or Ships of War… in time of Peace…
5. No State shall… engage in War… unless actually invaded…
Article II
Section 1. The President
1. The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States…
2. Each State shall appoint… a Number of Electors…
3. No Person except a natural-born Citizen… shall be eligible to the Office of President…
4. The President shall… receive for his Services, a Compensation…
5. Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath… “I do solemnly swear…”
Section 2. Powers
1. The President shall be Commander in Chief… may require the Opinion… of the principal Officer in each Executive Department…
2. He shall have Power… to make Treaties… and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate… to nominate… Officers…
Section 3. Duties
He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union…
He may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses… in Case of Disagreement…
He shall receive Ambassadors… shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed…
Section 4. Impeachment
The President, Vice President and all civil Officers… shall be removed from Office on Impeachment… for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Article III
Section 1. Judicial Power
The judicial Power of the United States… shall be vested in one supreme Court… Judges… shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour…
Section 2. Jurisdiction
1. The judicial Power shall extend to… all Cases… arising under this Constitution…
2. In all Cases affecting Ambassadors… the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction…
3. The Trial of all Crimes… shall be by Jury…
Section 3. Treason
1. Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying War… adhering to their Enemies… giving them Aid and Comfort.
2. The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason… but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood…
Article IV
Section 1. Full Faith and Credit
Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts… Records… and judicial Proceedings of every other State…
Section 2. Privileges, Extradition
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… who shall flee… shall on Demand… be delivered up…
Section 3. New States
1. New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union…
2. The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules… respecting the Territory… belonging to the United States…
Section 4. Republican Government
The United States shall guarantee to every State… a Republican Form of Government… and shall protect each of them… against Invasion…
Article V
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution… which shall be valid… when ratified…
Article VI
1. All Debts contracted… before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid…
2. This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States… shall be the supreme Law of the Land…
3. The Senators and Representatives… and all executive and judicial Officers… shall be bound by Oath… but no religious Test…
Article VII
The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the same.
Amendments I–X (Bill of Rights)
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech…
Amendment II
A well regulated Militia… the right of the people to keep and bear Arms… shall not be infringed.
Amendment III
No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house without the consent of the Owner…
Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures…
Amendment V
No person shall be held to answer for a capital… crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury… nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law…
Amendment VI
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial… by an impartial jury… to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation…
Amendment VII
In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved…
Amendment VIII
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
Amendment IX
The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Amendment XI
The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit… commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.
Amendment XII
The Electors shall meet in their respective States… and vote by Ballot for President and Vice-President… The person having the greatest number of votes for President… shall be President…
Amendment XIII
Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude… shall exist within the United States…
Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Amendment XIV
Section 1. All persons born or naturalized… are citizens… No State shall make… any law which shall abridge the privileges… nor deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process… nor deny to any person… equal protection of the laws.
Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned… excluding Indians not taxed…
Section 3. No person shall hold… office, having previously taken an oath… to support the Constitution, and engaged in insurrection…
Section 4. The validity of the public debt… shall not be questioned…
Section 5. Congress shall have power to enforce… by appropriate legislation.
Amendment XV
Section 1. The right of citizens… to vote shall not be denied… on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce… by appropriate legislation.
Amendment XVI
The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes… without apportionment among the several States…
Amendment XVII
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State… for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote… The people… shall elect Senators…
Amendment XVIII
Section 1. After one year from the ratification… the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors… is hereby prohibited.
Section 2. The Congress and the several States… shall have concurrent power to enforce this article…
Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified…
Amendment XIX
The right of citizens… to vote shall not be denied… on account of sex.
Congress shall have power to enforce… by appropriate legislation.
Amendment XX
Section 1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon… on the twentieth day of January…
Section 2. The Congress shall assemble at least once every year… at noon on the third day of January…
Section 3. If the President-elect shall have died… the Vice President-elect shall become President.
Section 4. The Congress may provide by law for… the case wherein neither a President-elect nor a Vice President-elect shall have qualified…
Section 5. Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the twentieth day of October…
Section 6. This article shall be inoperative… unless ratified…
Amendment XXI
Section 1. The eighteenth article… is hereby repealed.
Section 2. The transportation… or importation… for delivery or use… is permitted…
Section 3. This article shall be inoperative… unless ratified…
Amendment XXII
No person shall be elected to the Office of the President more than twice…
Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce…
Amendment XXIII
The District constituting the seat of Government shall appoint… in such Manner as Congress may direct…
Amendment XXIV
The right of citizens… to vote… shall not be denied… by reason of failure to pay any poll tax…
Congress shall have power to enforce…
Amendment XXV
Section 1. In case of the removal of the President… the Vice President shall become President.
Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of Vice President… the President… shall nominate…
Section 3. Whenever the President transmits… that he is unable to discharge… the Vice President shall act as President.
Section 4. Whenever the Vice President… and a majority of the principal officers… transmit… that the President is unable… the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers…
Amendment XXVI
The right of citizens… who are eighteen years of age… to vote shall not be denied… on account of age…
Congress shall have power to enforce…
Amendment XXVII
No law… varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives… shall take effect… until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.