The U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights The U.S. Constitution is divided into seven separate articles, which are numbered using the Roman numerals I–VII. Each article has sections that define and clarify the article. The Constitution is approximately 4300 words in length. Each article outlines a basic function of government. Let's learn what these articles state. When the U.S. Constitution was finalized, it was signed and sent to the states for ratification. The ratification process required 9 of the 13 states to agree to ratification before the U.S. Constitution was official. As a compromise with the antifederalists, the Bill of Right was conceived to allay their fears and to buy support for the ratification. After lengthy discussions among the states, in 1789, the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution as the first ten amendments, which aimed at protecting the rights of the citizens of the newly formed United States of America. Today we cannot imagine the Constitution without the Bill of Rights. However, the original Constitution did not have the Bill of Rights until it was amended. Let's learn about the Bill of Rights. The last amendment (Twenty-Seventh Amendment, limiting congressional pay increases) to the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1992. Ratification occurs after three-fourths of the states vote for the amendment. Congressional Outputs and Committee Work Both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate has many committees and subcommittees. It is often stated that the real work of Congress is done in committee. This is where bills are initially assigned, debated, and amended. A bill can remain in committee and never emerge. Passing through a committee is a rite of passage for bills that become law. The main responsibilities of these committees are related to legislation, but there are other committees that have other outputs. Let's learn about the different types of congressional committees. Legislation that reaches the U.S. House or the U.S. Senate is referred to a committee, depending on congressional law and procedures. It can go to the standing committee or a subcommittee, where the initial work is done on the legislation. After the hearings are complete, the bill undergoes a markup (or changes that have occurred to the bill as a result of the work of the subcommittee). If the bill is accepted by the subcommittee, it goes to the standing committee for a vote or further hearings. If ultimately passed by both houses of Congress the bill must be reconciled between the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate so that both legislative bodies pass exactly the same bill. The U.S. Court System The judicial branch of the U.S. government was created by Article III of the U.S. Constitution. At the time of the signing of the Constitution, there was no federal court system and the states had control over the loosely interpreted rule of law. The shaping of the judiciary was left to Congress, which decided the number of justice.

1. The U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights
The U.S. Constitution is divided into seven separate articles,
which are numbered using the Roman numerals I–VII. Each
article has sections that define and clarify the article. The
Constitution is approximately 4300 words in length. Each
article outlines a basic function of government. Let's learn what
these articles state.
When the U.S. Constitution was finalized, it was signed and
sent to the states for ratification. The ratification process
required 9 of the 13 states to agree to ratification before the
U.S. Constitution was official. As a compromise with the
antifederalists, the Bill of Right was conceived to allay their
fears and to buy support for the ratification. After lengthy
discussions among the states, in 1789, the Bill of Rights was
added to the Constitution as the first ten amendments, which
aimed at protecting the rights of the citizens of the newly
formed United States of America. Today we cannot imagine the
Constitution without the Bill of Rights. However, the original
Constitution did not have the Bill of Rights until it was
amended. Let's learn about the Bill of Rights.
The last amendment (Twenty-Seventh Amendment, limiting
congressional pay increases) to the U.S. Constitution was
ratified in 1992. Ratification occurs after three-fourths of the
states vote for the amendment.
Congressional Outputs and Committee Work
Both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate has
many committees and subcommittees. It is often stated that the
real work of Congress is done in committee. This is where bills
are initially assigned, debated, and amended. A bill can remain
in committee and never emerge. Passing through a committee is
a rite of passage for bills that become law. The main
responsibilities of these committees are related to legislation,
but there are other committees that have other outputs. Let's
learn about the different types of congressional committees.

2. Legislation that reaches the U.S. House or the U.S. Senate is
referred to a committee, depending on congressional law and
procedures. It can go to the standing committee or a
subcommittee, where the initial work is done on the legislation.
After the hearings are complete, the bill undergoes a markup (or
changes that have occurred to the bill as a result of the work of
the subcommittee). If the bill is accepted by the subcommittee,
it goes to the standing committee for a vote or further hearings.
If ultimately passed by both houses of Congress the bill must be
reconciled between the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate so that
both legislative bodies pass exactly the same bill.
The U.S. Court System
The judicial branch of the U.S. government was created by
Article III of the U.S. Constitution. At the time of the signing
of the Constitution, there was no federal court system and the
states had control over the loosely interpreted rule of law. The
shaping of the judiciary was left to Congress, which decided the
number of justices to serve on the Supreme Court. Congress was
also granted the power to set up courts that were inferior to the
Supreme Court. Since then, the results of the multitude of court
cases have shaped the precedent for future rulings of the U.S.
judiciary system.
The federal court system is referred to as the keeper of the
Constitution because it serves to protect the rights and liberties
that the Constitution intends to protect. Congress has
established all federal courts with the exception of the Supreme
Court. These courts include the court of claims, the court of
international trade, and bankruptcy courts. At present, there are
ninety-four U.S. district courts and thirteen U.S. courts of
appeals. Let's learn about district courts and courts of appeals in
detail.
Each state has its own constitution and court system. Most
states have a state supreme court or an intermediate court of
appeals. There also may be lower state trial courts that may be

3. referred to as circuit or district courts.
With regard to the U.S. constitutional system of checks and
balances, the judicial branch interprets the laws set by Congress
and signed and approved as laws by the White House. Once a
judge has been appointed by the executive branch and approved
by the Senate, they cannot be removed except in cases involving
misconduct. The judicial branch may also overturn the actions
of the executive or legislative branch through judicial review.
Key Judicial Leaders and Personnel
With regard to the day-to-day operations of the judicial system,
the rulings are the responsibility of each individual court. Court
administration is an important part of the judicial system and a
more localized power of the courts. Let's learn about some key
individuals and personnel who are part of the judicial system.
The judicial branch has the power, as provided by the
Constitution, to set and execute its own budget. The initial
budget is prepared by the Administrative Office of the United
States Courts with inputs from the various courts and the
Judicial Conference committees. The final budget is set by the
Judicial Conference and sent to Congress for approval. This
gives Congress an important power over the courts. The
appropriations committee acts on the budget, and after changes
are made and the budget is accepted, the Judicial Conference
decides how the funds will be allocated to the various programs,
courts, and operating units. This gives the Judicial Conference
power over how funds are used for implementation in the
judicial system. This divides power over the administration of
the judicial system between the Congress and the
Administrative Office of the United States Courts and the
Judicial Conference.
The Role of the Supreme Court
The Constitution establishes The Supreme Court as the highest
court in the land. It first met on February 2, 1790, with their
initial goal to set the procedure of the Court, and they did not
hand down their first ruling until 1792.
There are currently nine justices, one chief justice and eight

4. associates, in the Supreme Court. Congress sets the number of
justices, with the last change to the number made in 1869. When
filling a vacancy, the executive branch has the power to
nominate the judge of its choice, who must then be confirmed
by the Senate. A chief justice holds the office for life, unless he
or she retires or is charged with misconduct and removed by
impeachment.
The Supreme Court does not typically conduct trial cases;
instead, it hears cases brought to it through the appeals process
through certiorari. Certiorari means that at least four of the
justices feel that the case has sufficient merit to be heard. There
are typically over 7,500 writs of certiorari filed each year, with
only approximately 150 reaching the Supreme Court. Many of
these are disposed of without even getting plenary review. Of
these 150, less than 100 actually result in formal written
opinions.
The Supreme Court hears fewer cases than other federal or state
courts and serves mainly as an appellate court, especially for
those cases that, based on a precedent, will most likely result in
important interpretations of the Constitution.
As discussed earlier, the Constitution formed the three branches
of the government to balance the power so that no branch would
have more power than the other. This was done to protect the
rights of the citizens of the United States. Let's take a look at
the system of checks and balances of each branch of the
government.