7 Articles Flashcards
Article 1
{LEGISLATIVE BRANCH}
- all powers shall be in a congress consisting of a senate and house of representatives
Info on the house
- elected every 2 years
- at least 25 years old
- U.S. citizen for 7 years
- resident of that particular state
- representation based on population
- if a vacancy occurs, the state will have a special runoff election for the seat
Powers of house
- choose its speaker of house
- impeachment
Info on senate
- 2 senators from each state
- resident of that state
- at least 30 years old
- citizen for 9 years
- term length: 6 years
- senators go up for re-election every 2 years (split up among U.S.)
- chosen by state legislatures (changed by 17th amendment)
Role of vice president in senate
- vice president is president of senate
- vice president only votes to break a tie
- president pro tempore of the senate runs daily activities when VP is out
Powers of senate
- try impeachment cases
- if president is on trial, chief justice will preside over trial
- takes a 2/3 vote to convict impeachment trial
Congress/ other info
- required to meet at least once every year
- 20th amendment changed the beginning of each session of Congress to Jan. 3rd each year
- majority of house or Senate shall constitute a quorum (having enough members present to conduct official business)
- 2/3 vote required to expel member
- neither house during a session of congress can adjourn for more than 3 days without consent of other house
Compensation for congress
speaker of house: $223,500
president of pro temp of senate: $193,400
majority & minority leader: $193,400
representatives & senators: $174,000
- all revenue must originate in house
- BUT the senate may propose a revenue bill
How a bill becomes a law
- every bill passed by house & senate has to be presented to the president
- if he approves & signs it, then it becomes a law
- if he vetoes the bill it goes back to congress & can be be passed with a 2/3 vote
Powers of congress
- collect taxes
- borrow money on credit of U.S.
- regulate interstate commerce
- coin money
- declare war
- raise & maintain military
Habeas corpus
unlawful imprisonment
Bill of attainder
being found guilty of a crime or being punished without trial
Ex post facto law
a law that is made retroactive to punish an act that wasn’t illegal at the time it was committed (“after the fact”)
Article 2
{EXECUTIVE BRANCH}
- the executive shall be vested in a president of the U.S.
- he shall hold office for 4 years
Qualifications for president
- natural born citizen
- resident of U.S. for 14 years
- at least 35 years old
- annual salary: $400,000
Election process
- each state shall appoint a number of electors, equal to the number of senators and representatives (this is who elects the president of the U.S.
- the president of the Senate (VP) shall open all certificates and votes will be counted
- ORIGINAL: the person receiving the 2nd most votes will become the vice president
- NEW: 12th amendment changed this & made president & vice run on separate ballots
Powers of the president
- commander in chief of armed forces
- pardon people for offenses against U.S.
- appoint ambassadors
- appoint judges of supreme court
- require by law to give a state of the union speech
- make sure laws are faithfully executed
- removed on impeachment for treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors
Role of each branch
- legislative: make laws
- executive: carries out (enforces) laws
- judicial: judges (evaluates) laws (courts)
Article 3
{JUDICIAL BRANCH}
- 1 supreme court established by congress
- supreme court shall have original jurisdiction in cases affecting ambassadors, and appellate jurisdiction in all other cases
Article 4
{RELATION OF STATE TO FEDERAL GOV}
- full faith & credit clause (each states shall be given the rights to public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state
- extradition (a person charged in any state with a crime and flees will be brought back)
- how a state is admitted to a union
- every state is guaranteed a republic form of gov
- U.S. gov provides protection from all enemies
Article 5
{AMENDMENT PROCESS}
proposed
- 2/3 of both houses must propose amendment or 2/3 of state legislatures
passed
- 3/4 of state legislatures OR 3/4 vote by special convention called by states
Article 6
{SUPREMACY CLAUSE}
- the U.S. constitution is the supreme law of the land
- religion cannot be used as a qualification for holding public office
Article 7
{9/13 MUST RATIFY}
- 9/13 states must ratify for the U.S. constitution to take place
