What You Need To Know About...
...The United States Constitution
1. The Basics
2. The Articles
3. The Amendments
9. Books
10. Useful Links
The Basics
1.1 What is United States Constitution?
The Constitution is the basic framework of how the United States Government operates. It's comprised of seven articles and 27 amendments. The first ten amendments are what is known as "The Bill of Rights."
"Speaking Freely on the Constitution" at The Seattle Times
The Articles
2.1 The First Article - the Legislative Branch
The first article of the Constitution establishes the legislative branch: Congress. The Senate and the House of Representatives. It also indicates the qualifications required for each, terms of service and sets some guidelines for how they operate.
2.2 The Second Article - the Executive Branch
The second article of the Constitution establishes the executive branch and in particular the Presidency. It sets forth the qualifications requires to be President of the United States as well as the selection process.
2.3 The Third Article - the Judicial Branch
The third article of the Constitution establishes the judicial branch of the United States and in particular the Supreme Court. It lays out the parameters of Supreme Court jurisdiction and defines "treason" against the United States.
The Amendments
3.1 The First Amendment
The first amendment establishes freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom to assemble and to petition the government. It also covers freedom of religion and prohibits the congress from making any laws regarding the establishment of religion.
3.1.1 Doesn't the first amendment guarantee that I can say anything I want and can't get fired?
No. Freedom of speech means you can't be arrested for voicing your opinion (and actually there are some specific limits on extreme speech). It doesn't mean you can't be fired by a private employer. Remember that the Constitution primarily affects what the government can or cannot do; not what a private person or company can or cannot do.
3.2 The Second Amendment
The second amendment is one of the more controversial. It establishes the right to keep and bear arms (weapons) among the citizenry. What makes it controversial is that it refers to this right in terms of "militia" which some people interpret to mean that the right to keep and bear arms only exists within the structure of an organized militia, as opposed to individual citizens for their private use. There has also been a lot of discussion about what the framers intended and whether or not their intentions would (or should) be the same in this era of automatic weapons and other military equipment that the framers of the Constitution could not have anticipated or foreseen.Books
9.1
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution
9.2
The United States Constitution Study Guide
Useful Links
10.1
Full Text of the United States Constitution
10.11 Analysis and
Interpretation of the Constitution
10.12 Foreword and
Historical Notes by U.S. House of Representatives
10.2 The
Constitution at Wikipedia
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