The document outlines the structure and powers of the three branches of government established by the United States Constitution: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. It describes the two-house structure of Congress, requirements to be a member of Congress, powers granted to Congress. It also outlines the presidency, requirements to be president, powers and duties of the president. Finally, it discusses the judicial branch and powers granted to federal courts.

1. 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

2. The United States Constitution
ARTICLE 1 – The Legislative Branch
⌂ 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)

3. The United States Constitution
ARTICLE 1 – The Legislative Branch
⌂ 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

4. The United States Constitution
ARTICLE 1 – The Legislative Branch
⌂ 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

5. The United States Constitution
ARTICLE 1 – The Legislative Branch
⌂ 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)

6. The United States Constitution
ARTICLE 1 – The Legislative Branch
⌂ 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

7. The United States Constitution
ARTICLE 1 – The Legislative Branch
⌂ 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)

8. The United States Constitution
ARTICLE 1 – The Legislative Branch
⌂ 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.

9. The United States Constitution
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

10. The United States Constitution
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

11. The United States Constitution
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

12. The United States Constitution
ARTICLE 2 – The Executive Branch
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?

13. The United States Constitution
ARTICLE 2 – The Executive Branch
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?

14. The United States Constitution
ARTICLE 2 – The Executive Branch
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)

15. The United States Constitution
ARTICLE 2 – The Executive Branch
Duties and Powers of the
President
⌂ Gives a “State of the
Union” address to Congress
⌂ Receives foreign
ambassadors (official
recognition of a country)
⌂ Make treaties (but Congress
must approve them)

16. The United States Constitution
ARTICLE 2 – The Executive Branch
Duties and Powers of the
President
⌂ 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”

17. The United States Constitution
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

18. The United States Constitution
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

19. The United States Constitution
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

20. The United States Constitution
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

21. The United States Constitution
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?????

22. The United States Constitution
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

23. The United States Constitution
Ratification Process
And it only took 9
states’ approval for
this to be newly
adopted!
Quite a revolution!