Barks

STUDY SHEET ARTICLE ONE CONSTITUTION

  1. The number of Representatives each state has is based on its population.
  1. There are 435 members in the House of Representatives. More members are from California than any other state because California is the most populated state in the whole United States.

.

  1. The Congress of the United States is made up of the Senate (upper house) and the House of Representatives (lower house). Each state has 2 Senators, so there are a total of 100 Senators. Congress has a total of 535 members, 435 Representatives and 100 Senators.
  1. Representatives must be at least 25 years old and a citizen of the United States for at least 7 years. Members serve a 2-year term.
  1. Senators must be at least 30 years old and a citizen of the United States for at least 9 years. Senators serve 6-year terms with 1/3 of the Senate elected every 2 years.
  1. The leader of the House of Representatives is the Speaker of the House.
  1. The president of the Senate is the Vice President; and the V.P. votes in the Senate if there is tie vote, his vote breaks the tie. The V.P. is not a Senator.
  1. The Senate elects another Senator as President Pro Tem of the Senate. The President Pro Tem is always a member of the majority party.
  1. Congress is the law making body of the U. S. government.
  1. The House of Representatives is the house of Congress that impeaches; that means that they bring charges against a person or a group of people. The impeached are then put on trial by the Senate; the Senate is the jury.
  1. The legal number necessary for either house of Congress to do business is at least 51%, that means 51% of the members must be present. This is called a quorum.
  1. A national census is taken every 10 years to determine, among other things, the population of each state. This is how the government decides how many Representatives each state should have.
  1. The President of the United States must sign or veto a bill from Congress within 10 days or it automatically becomes a law. The Congress can override a presidential veto by 2/3 votes in each house. In this way the President can check the power of Congress. The Congress can check the President by over riding his veto with a 2/3 vote.
  1. Bills for raising money must originate in the House of Representatives, but the Senate can amend (change) these bills just like it can with other bills from the House.

ARTICLES TWO THROUGH SEVEN OF THE CONSTITUTION

Article II / Executive Branch

The President of the U.S. makes sure that the laws that Congress passes are put into force. The Judicial Branch interprets these laws and determines if the laws are constitutional.

Electoral College - The people do not directly elect the President. Each state has a group of electors called the Electoral College. The number of electors from each state is equal to the total number of Representatives and Senators the state has.

Date of Elections - Congress has the power to decide the date of elections. The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in every fourth year is Election Day.

Qualifications for President: Must be born in the United States, that is, he/she must be a natural citizen of the U.S.A. Must be at least 35 years old and have lived in the United States for 14 years.

Succession of the Presidency - If the President dies in office, the Vice President takes over. If the Vice President dies, then the Speaker of the House takes over. Should the Speaker be unable to take office, and then the President Pro Tem of the Senate becomes President.

Military and Civil Powers - The President of the United States is Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces. This means a civilian is in charge. The President can also grant pardons to criminals convicted of federal crimes.

Treaty and Appointment Powers - The President can make treaties with foreign countries as well as appoint judges and ambassadors and members of his Cabinet. All of these appointments must be approved by a 2/3-majority vote in the Senate.

Article III / Judicial Branch

The Supreme Court - The highest court in the United States. There are 9 judges or justices on the Supreme Court of which one is the Chief Justice. All judges serve for life.

Congress has set up 94 District Courts and 12 Circuit Courts of Appeals under the Supreme Court.

Treason - Definition of Treason: Going to war against the United States or giving aid and comfort to enemies of the United States. It is not treason if you are just thinking bad thoughts about the U.S.

Article IV / The States

Full Faith and Credit - Interstate citizenship. Laws of one state must be honored by another state.

Interstate Relations - Must return fugitives to the state from which they came so they can be tried in court. A person accused of a crime in one state must be sent back from a different state at the request of the governor.

Admission of New States - New states admitted by Congress are equal with older states. Congress controls all U.S. Territories, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and Midway.

Article V / Amending the Constitution

It takes 2 steps to add an amendment to the Constitution. First, the amendment must be proposed by a 2/3-majority vote of both houses of Congress. Then, it must be ratified (approved) by 3/4 of the 50 states in the United States. The time limit for ratification by the states is 7 years.

Article VI / Supremacy of National Law or Constitutional Law

The Constitution and laws made under it are the supreme laws of the land. State laws in conflict with federal laws are void. All federal and state officers take an oath to support the Constitution. The Constitution forbids requiring religious tests as a qualification for office.

Article VII / Ratification of the Constitution

Must be approved by 9 of the 13 states to be ratified. The Constitution of the United States was signed in September 1787, during the twelfth year of this country's independence.

1