THE CONSTITUTION
of the United States of America
  1. We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more
  2. perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,
  3. provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare,
  4. and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our
  5. Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the
  6. United States of America.
  7. Article I
  8. Section 1
  9. All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a
  10. Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate
  11. and House of Representatives.
  12. Section 2
  13. The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members
  14. chosen every second Year by the People of the several States,
  15. and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications
  16. requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the
  17. State Legislature.
  18. No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained
  19. to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a
  20. Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected,
  21. be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.
  22. Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the
  23. several States which may be included within this Union, according
  24. to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding
  25. to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to
  26. Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed,
  27. three fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall
  28. be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress
  29. of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten
  30. Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The Number
  31. of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand,
  32. but each State shall have at Least one Representative.
  33. When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the
  34. Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill
  35. such Vacancies.
  36. The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other
  37. Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.
  38. Section 3
  39. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two
  40. Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof,
  41. for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.
  42. Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the
  43. first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into
  44. three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class
  45. shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the
  46. second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the
  47. third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one
  48. third may be chosen every second Year.
  49. No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the
  50. Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the
  51. United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an
  52. Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.
  53. The Vice President of the United States shall be President of
  54. the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.
  55. The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a
  56. President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President,
  57. or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.
  58. The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments.
  59. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation.
  60. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief
  61. Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without
  62. the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.
  63. Section 4
  64. The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators
  65. and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the
  66. Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law
  67. make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of
  68. chusing Senators.
  69. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and
  70. such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless
  71. they shall by Law appoint a different Day.
  72. Section 5
  73. Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and
  74. Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall
  75. constitute a Quorum to do Business.
  76. Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish
  77. its Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence
  78. of two thirds, expel a Member.
  79. Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and from
  80. time to time publish the same, excepting such Parts as may in
  81. their Judgment require Secrecy.
  82. Section 6
  83. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation
  84. for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of
  85. the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all Cases,
  86. except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged
  87. from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their
  88. respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same.
  89. Section 7
  90. All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of
  91. Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with
  92. Amendments as on other Bills.
  93. Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives
  94. and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to
  95. the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign
  96. it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that
  97. House in which it shall have originated.
  98. Section 8
  99. The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties,
  100. Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the
  101. common Defence and general Welfare of the United States.
  102. To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;
  103. To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several
  104. States, and with the Indian Tribes;
  105. To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform
  106. Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
  107. To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin,
  108. and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
  109. To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities
  110. and current Coin of the United States;
  111. To establish Post Offices and post Roads;
  112. To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing
  113. for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right
  114. to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
  115. To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
  116. To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the
  117. high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;
  118. To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make
  119. Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
  120. To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to
  121. that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
  122. To provide and maintain a Navy;
  123. To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land
  124. and naval Forces;
  125. To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of
  126. the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
  127. To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying
  128. into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested
  129. by this Constitution in the Government of the United States.
  130. Section 9
  131. The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the
  132. States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be
  133. prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight
  134. hundred and eight.
  135. The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be
  136. suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the
  137. public Safety may require it.
  138. No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.
  139. No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in
  140. Proportion to the Census or enumeration herein before directed
  141. to be taken.
  142. Section 10
  143. No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation;
  144. grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills
  145. of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in
  146. Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto
  147. Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant
  148. any Title of Nobility.
  149. Article II
  150. Section 1
  151. The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the
  152. United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the
  153. Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President,
  154. chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:
  155. Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature
  156. thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole
  157. Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may
  158. be entitled in the Congress.
  159. No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the
  160. United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution,
  161. shall be eligible to the Office of President.
  162. Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take
  163. the following Oath or Affirmation:–“I do solemnly swear (or
  164. affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President
  165. of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability,
  166. preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
  167. Section 2
  168. The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy
  169. of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States,
  170. when called into the actual Service of the United States.
  171. He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the
  172. Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators
  173. present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the
  174. Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors,
  175. other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court,
  176. and all other Officers of the United States.
  177. Section 3
  178. He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of
  179. the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration
  180. such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.
  181. Section 4
  182. The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the
  183. United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for,
  184. and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and
  185. Misdemeanors.
  186. Article III
  187. Section 1
  188. The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one
  189. supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may
  190. from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the
  191. supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during
  192. good Behaviour.
  193. Section 2
  194. The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity,
  195. arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States,
  196. and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority.
  197. The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall
  198. be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where
  199. the said Crimes shall have been committed.
  200. Section 3
  201. Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying
  202. War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them
  203. Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless
  204. on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on
  205. Confession in open Court.
  206. Article IV
  207. Section 1
  208. Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the
  209. public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State.
  210. Section 2
  211. The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges
  212. and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.
  213. A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other
  214. Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another
  215. State, shall on Demand of the executive Authority of the State
  216. from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State
  217. having Jurisdiction of the Crime.
  218. Section 3
  219. New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union;
  220. but no new State shall be formed or erected within the
  221. Jurisdiction of any other State.
  222. Section 4
  223. The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union
  224. a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them
  225. against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of
  226. the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against
  227. domestic Violence.
  228. Article V
  229. The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it
  230. necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or,
  231. on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the
  232. several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments,
  233. which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes,
  234. as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures
  235. of three fourths of the several States.
  236. Article VI
  237. All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the
  238. Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the
  239. United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.
  240. This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall
  241. be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which
  242. shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall
  243. be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State
  244. shall be bound thereby.
  245. The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the
  246. Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive
  247. and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the
  248. several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to
  249. support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be
  250. required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under
  251. the United States.
  252. Article VII
  253. The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be
  254. sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between
  255. the States so ratifying the Same.
  256. Done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present
  257. the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one
  258. thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence
  259. of the United States of America the Twelfth. In witness whereof
  260. We have hereunto subscribed our Names,
  261. G. Washington
  262. Presidt and deputy from Virginia
  263. Delaware: Geo: Read, Gunning Bedford jun, John Dickinson, Richard Bassett, Jaco: Broom
  264. Maryland: James McHenry, Dan of St Thos. Jenifer, Danl Carroll
  265. Virginia: John Blair, James Madison Jr.
  266. North Carolina: Wm. Blount, Richd. Dobbs Spaight, Hu Williamson
  267. South Carolina: J. Rutledge, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Charles Pinckney, Pierce Butler
  268. Georgia: William Few, Abr Baldwin
  269. New Hampshire: John Langdon, Nicholas Gilman
  270. Massachusetts: Nathaniel Gorham, Rufus King
  271. Connecticut: Wm. Saml. Johnson, Roger Sherman
  272. New York: Alexander Hamilton
  273. New Jersey: Wil: Livingston, David Brearley, Wm. Paterson, Jona: Dayton
  274. Pennsylvania: B Franklin, Thomas Mifflin, Robt Morris, Geo. Clymer, Thos. FitzSimons, Jared Ingersoll, James Wilson, Gouv Morris
  275. Attest William Jackson Secretary