American Government

Constitution Paraphrasing

Article 1

Section 1

1. Bicameral Legislature

Section 2

1. Reps serve a two-year term; Electors must meet the same qualifications for the state legislature

2. Reps must be 25 years, 7 years a citizen, reside where you represent

3. Reps determined by population; census every ten years

4. Special Elections for vacancy of seats

5. HoR chooses their officers; sole power of impeachment

Section 3

1. Two senators from each state; one vote each2. Continuous body3. Senators must be 30, 9 years a citizen, live where you

represent4. VP is Pres of Senate, casts tie breaking vote ONLY5. Senate chooses own officers, President Pro Tempore6. Sole power to try impeachments; Chief Justice

presides when President of US is tried7. Max punishment for impeachment is removal from

office, liable for conviction after removal

Section 4

1. Legislature sets time and place for congressional voting

2. Congress must meet at least once each year

Section 5

1.Each house makes their own rules, majority of members constitutes quorum

2.Each house disciplines own members, expulsion on 2/3 vote of members

3.Congressional Record

4.No adjournment of either house for more than 3 days without the agreement of the other house

Section 6

1.Congressional pay; Congressional immunity (can not be arrested or detained for what they say on the house floor)

2.Can not serve in two branches at the same time

Section 7

1.All revenue bills must start in the HoR2.Bills must be approved by both houses to be

sent to the Pres. Pres has four options:1.Sign2.Veto3.Do nothing (>10 days – becomes law)4.Do nothing (< 10 days – pocket veto)

3.Joint resolutions (veto overrides) hold the power of law (2/3 vote of both houses)

Section 8

1.Tax, Taxes must be uniform throughout nation

2.Borrow

3.Commerce

4.Naturalization, Bankruptcies

5.Coin money, weights and measures

6.Punishment for counterfeiters

7.Post Offices and Post roads

8.Patents and Copyrights

Section 8, cont.

9. Inferior courts10. Piracies and felonies on the high seas11. Declare War, rules of capture during war12. Raise and support armies, two year allocation13. Provide and maintain Navy14. Military justice (UCMJ)15. Federal calling up of National Guard16. Governing structure of National Guard

Section 8, cont.

17. Exclusive jurisdiction over federal lands

18. Necessary and Proper, elastic

Section 9

1. Action on Slave trade banned for 20 years2. Habeus Corpus can not be suspended unless

insurrection or invasion, or public safety requires it3. No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto law4. No tax on each person (see Amd. 16)5. Exports not taxed6. No federal preference for any port, pro-open market7. No money from treasury unless by law8. No title of nobility or payment from another state

while in service to US

Section 10

1.States cannot enter into international agreements, declare war, or act as a nation-state

2.No interstate taxation from state to state

3.States can not make war with other nation-states, or keep standing armies