Constitution of the United States

• Pages: 5-21

5

Constitution of the United

States

Note: The following text is a transcription of the Constitution in its original form. Items

that are underlined have since been amended or superseded.

Preamble

WE THE PEOPLE of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish

justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the

general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do

ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Article I

Section 1. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the

United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

Section 2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every

second year by the people of the several states, and the electors in each state shall

have the qualif‌i cations requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the state

legislature.

No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the age of

twenty f‌i ve years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall

not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state in which he shall be chosen.

Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several states

which may be included within this union, according to their respective numbers,

which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including

those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three

f‌i fths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three

years after the f‌i rst meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every

subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. The number

of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each state shall

have at least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the state

of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode Island

and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut f‌i ve, New York six, New Jersey four,

Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina f‌i ve,

South Carolina f‌i ve, and Georgia three.

When vacancies happen in the Representation from any state, the executive

authority thereof shall issue writs of election to f‌i ll such vacancies.

6 U.S. GOVERNMENT MANUAL

The House of Representatives shall choose their speaker and other off‌i cers; and shall

have the sole power of impeachment.

Section 3. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from

each state, chosen by the legislature thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have

one vote.

Immediately after they shall be assembled in consequence of the f‌i rst election, they

shall be divided as equally as may be into three classes. The seats of the Senators of

the f‌i rst class shall be vacated at the expiration of the second year, of the second class

at the expiration of the fourth year, and the third class at the expiration of the sixth

year, so that one third may be chosen every second year; and if vacancies happen by

resignation, or otherwise, during the recess of the legislature of any state, the executive

thereof may make temporary appointments until the next meeting of the legislature,

which shall then f‌i ll such vacancies.

No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the age of thirty years,

and been nine years a citizen of the United States and who shall not, when elected, be

an inhabitant of that state for which he shall be chosen.

The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall

have no vote, unless they be equally divided.

The Senate shall choose their other off‌i cers, and also a President pro tempore, in the

absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the off‌i ce of President of the

United States.

The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. When sitting for that

purpose, they shall be on oath or aff‌i rmation. When the President of the United States

is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no person shall be convicted without the

concurrence of two thirds of the members present.

Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from

off‌i ce, and disqualif‌i cation to hold and enjoy any off‌i ce of honor, trust or prof‌i t under

the United States: but the party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to

indictment, trial, judgment and punishment, according to law.

Section 4. The times, places and manner of holding elections for Senators and

Representatives, shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof; but the

Congress may at any time by law make or alter such regulations, except as to the

places of choosing Senators.

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall be

on the f‌i rst Monday in December, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.

Section 5. Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualif‌i cations

of its own members, and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business;

but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel

the attendance of absent members, in such manner, and under such penalties as each

House may provide.

Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for

disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member.

Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish

the same, excepting such parts as may in their judgment require secrecy; and the yeas

and nays of the members of either House on any question shall, at the desire of one

f‌i fth of those present, be entered on the journal.

Neither House, during the session of Congress, shall, without the consent of the

other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the

two Houses shall be sitting.

Section 6. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a compensation for their

services, to be ascertained by law, and paid out of the treasury of the United States.

They shall in all cases, except treason, felony and breach of the peace, be privileged

from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective Houses, and in