Articles IV-VII of the Constitution: Amendment process, ratification, etc.

1. + The
Constitution:
Articles IV-VII

2. +
Article IV
 States’ rights vs. the fed’s rights
 Defines federalism
 Ability for both the state & federal gov’ts to create their own laws
 Fed. gov’t has certain power
 Declare war, print money
 State gov’t has certain powers
 Conduct local elections
 Both branches share other powers

3. +
Article IV
 “Full Faith & Credit Clause”
 Designed to promote “harmony & intercourse among the
states” according to James Madison
 It ensures that courts of one state honor the judgments of a
court in another state
 Documents such as contracts, wills, deeds, mortgages, birth
certificates, & civil court judgments must be recognized by
other states

4. +
Article IV
 Odds & Ends
 Discusses extradition
 Bringing a criminal back to the state where he or she committed a
crime
 Allows/explains admission of new states
 Guarantees that every state will have a “republican form of
government”
 Also grants each state protection from invasion

5. +
Article V
 Amending the Constitution
 Two ways to do it:
 1. 2/3 of both houses must approve & then ¾ of states must
ratify
 2. Proposed by a convention called by congress at the request
of 2/3 of the states & then ratified by ¾ of the state legislatures
 27 total amendments
 First 10=Bill of Rights

6. +
Article VI
 Supremacy Clause
 The Constitution is the “supreme law of the land”
 If state law is in conflict w/ national law, it is the national law that
must be obeyed

7. +
Article VII
 Est. that Constitution would go into effect when 9 states voted
to accept it
 Happened w/ NH’s ratification on 6/21/1788