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Constitution

By: History.com Editors

Updated: March 28, 2023 | Original: October 27, 2009

Signing of the United States Constitution(Original Caption) The signing of the United States Constitution in 1787. Undated painting by Stearns.

The Constitution of the United States established America’s national government and fundamental laws, and guaranteed certain basic rights for its citizens.

It was signed on September 17, 1787, by delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Under America’s first governing document, the Articles of Confederation, the national government was weak and states operated like independent countries. At the 1787 convention, delegates devised a plan for a stronger federal government with three branches—executive, legislative and judicial—along with a system of checks and balances to ensure no single branch would have too much power.

The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution

The Preamble outlines the Constitution's purpose and guiding principles. It reads:

The Bill of Rights were 10 amendments guaranteeing basic individual protections, such as freedom of speech and religion, that became part of the Constitution in 1791. To date, there are 27 constitutional amendments.

Articles of Confederation

America’s first constitution, the Articles of Confederation , was ratified in 1781, a time when the nation was a loose confederation of states, each operating like independent countries. The national government was comprised of a single legislature, the Congress of the Confederation; there was no president or judicial branch.

The Articles of Confederation gave Congress the power to govern foreign affairs, conduct war and regulate currency; however, in reality these powers were sharply limited because Congress had no authority to enforce its requests to the states for money or troops.

Did you know? George Washington was initially reluctant to attend the Constitutional Convention. Although he saw the need for a stronger national government, he was busy managing his estate at Mount Vernon, suffering from rheumatism and worried that the convention wouldn't be successful in achieving its goals.

Soon after America won its independence from Great Britain with its 1783 victory in the American Revolution , it became increasingly evident that the young republic needed a stronger central government in order to remain stable.

In 1786, Alexander Hamilton , a lawyer and politician from New York , called for a constitutional convention to discuss the matter. The Confederation Congress, which in February 1787 endorsed the idea, invited all 13 states to send delegates to a meeting in Philadelphia.

Forming a More Perfect Union

On May 25, 1787, the Constitutional Convention opened in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence had been adopted 11 years earlier. There were 55 delegates in attendance, representing all 13 states except Rhode Island , which refused to send representatives because it did not want a powerful central government interfering in its economic business. George Washington , who’d become a national hero after leading the Continental Army to victory during the American Revolution, was selected as president of the convention by unanimous vote.

The delegates (who also became known as the “framers” of the Constitution) were a well-educated group that included merchants, farmers, bankers and lawyers. Many had served in the Continental Army, colonial legislatures or the Continental Congress (known as the Congress of the Confederation as of 1781). In terms of religious affiliation, most were Protestants. Eight delegates were signers of the Declaration of Independence, while six had signed the Articles of Confederation.

At age 81, Pennsylvania’s Benjamin Franklin (1706-90) was the oldest delegate, while the majority of the delegates were in their 30s and 40s. Political leaders not in attendance at the convention included Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) and John Adams (1735-1826), who were serving as U.S. ambassadors in Europe. John Jay (1745-1829), Samuel Adams (1722-1803) and John Hancock (1737-93) were also absent from the convention. Virginia’s Patrick Henry (1736-99) was chosen to be a delegate but refused to attend the convention because he didn’t want to give the central government more power, fearing it would endanger the rights of states and individuals.

Reporters and other visitors were barred from the convention sessions, which were held in secret to avoid outside pressures. However, Virginia’s James Madison (1751-1836) kept a detailed account of what transpired behind closed doors. (In 1837, Madison’s widow Dolley sold some of his papers, including his notes from the convention debates, to the federal government for $30,000.)

Debating the Constitution

The delegates had been tasked by Congress with amending the Articles of Confederation; however, they soon began deliberating proposals for an entirely new form of government. After intensive debate, which continued throughout the summer of 1787 and at times threatened to derail the proceedings, they developed a plan that established three branches of national government–executive, legislative and judicial. A system of checks and balances was put into place so that no single branch would have too much authority. The specific powers and responsibilities of each branch were also laid out.

Among the more contentious issues was the question of state representation in the national legislature. Delegates from larger states wanted population to determine how many representatives a state could send to Congress, while small states called for equal representation. The issue was resolved by the Connecticut Compromise, which proposed a bicameral legislature with proportional representation of the states in the lower house ( House of Representatives ) and equal representation in the upper house (Senate).

Another controversial topic was slavery. Although some northern states had already started to outlaw the practice, they went along with the southern states’ insistence that slavery was an issue for individual states to decide and should be kept out of the Constitution. Many northern delegates believed that without agreeing to this, the South wouldn’t join the Union. For the purposes of taxation and determining how many representatives a state could send to Congress, it was decided that enslaved people would be counted as three-fifths of a person. Additionally, it was agreed that Congress wouldn’t be allowed to prohibit the slave trade before 1808, and states were required to return fugitive enslaved people to their owners.

Ratifying the Constitution

By September 1787, the convention’s five-member Committee of Style (Hamilton, Madison, William Samuel Johnson of Connecticut, Gouverneur Morris of New York, Rufus King of Massachusetts ) had drafted the final text of the Constitution, which consisted of some 4,200 words. On September 17, George Washington was the first to sign the document. Of the 55 delegates, a total of 39 signed; some had already left Philadelphia, and three–George Mason (1725-92) and Edmund Randolph (1753-1813) of Virginia , and Elbridge Gerry (1744-1813) of Massachusetts–refused to approve the document. In order for the Constitution to become law, it then had to be ratified by nine of the 13 states.

James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, with assistance from John Jay, wrote a series of essays to persuade people to ratify the Constitution. The 85 essays, known collectively as “The Federalist” (or “The Federalist Papers”), detailed how the new government would work, and were published under the pseudonym Publius (Latin for “public”) in newspapers across the states starting in the fall of 1787. (People who supported the Constitution became known as Federalists, while those opposed it because they thought it gave too much power to the national government were called Anti-Federalists.)

Beginning on December 7, 1787, five states– Delaware , Pennsylvania, New Jersey , Georgia and Connecticut–ratified the Constitution in quick succession. However, other states, especially Massachusetts, opposed the document, as it failed to reserve un-delegated powers to the states and lacked constitutional protection of basic political rights, such as freedom of speech, religion and the press.

In February 1788, a compromise was reached under which Massachusetts and other states would agree to ratify the document with the assurance that amendments would be immediately proposed. The Constitution was thus narrowly ratified in Massachusetts, followed by Maryland and South Carolina . On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the document, and it was subsequently agreed that government under the U.S. Constitution would begin on March 4, 1789. George Washington was inaugurated as America’s first president on April 30, 1789. In June of that same year, Virginia ratified the Constitution, and New York followed in July. On February 2, 1790, the U.S. Supreme Court held its first session, marking the date when the government was fully operative.

Rhode Island, the last holdout of the original 13 states, finally ratified the Constitution on May 29, 1790.

The Bill of Rights

In 1789, Madison, then a member of the newly established U.S. House of Representatives , introduced 19 amendments to the Constitution. On September 25, 1789, Congress adopted 12 of the amendments and sent them to the states for ratification. Ten of these amendments, known collectively as the Bill of Rights , were ratified and became part of the Constitution on December 10, 1791. The Bill of Rights guarantees individuals certain basic protections as citizens, including freedom of speech, religion and the press; the right to bear and keep arms; the right to peaceably assemble; protection from unreasonable search and seizure; and the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury. For his contributions to the drafting of the Constitution, as well as its ratification, Madison became known as “Father of the Constitution.”

To date, there have been thousands of proposed amendments to the Constitution. However, only 17 amendments have been ratified in addition to the Bill of Rights because the process isn’t easy–after a proposed amendment makes it through Congress, it must be ratified by three-fourths of the states. The most recent amendment to the Constitution, Article XXVII, which deals with congressional pay raises, was proposed in 1789 and ratified in 1992.

The Constitution Today

In the more than 200 years since the Constitution was created, America has stretched across an entire continent and its population and economy have expanded more than the document’s framers likely ever could have envisioned. Through all the changes, the Constitution has endured and adapted.

The framers knew it wasn’t a perfect document. However, as Benjamin Franklin said on the closing day of the convention in 1787: “I agree to this Constitution with all its faults, if they are such, because I think a central government is necessary for us… I doubt too whether any other Convention we can obtain may be able to make a better Constitution.” Today, the original Constitution is on display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Constitution Day is observed on September 17, to commemorate the date the document was signed.

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America's Founding Documents

The Constitution: How Did it Happen?

Concern about the articles of confederation.

Just a few years after the Revolutionary War, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington feared their young country was on the brink of collapse. America’s first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn’t regulate commerce, or print money. The states’ disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart. Alexander Hamilton helped convince Congress to organize a Grand Convention of state delegates to work on revising the Articles of Confederation.

Washington as Statesman at the Constitutional Convention, 1856

Oil on canvas by Junius Brutus Steams. Courtesy of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

The Constitutional Convention

The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May of 1787. The delegates shuttered the windows of the State House and swore secrecy so they could speak freely. Although they had gathered to revise the Articles of Confederation, by mid-June they had decided to completely redesign the government. There was little agreement about what form it would take.

One of the fiercest arguments was over congressional representation—should it be based on population or divided equally among the states? The framers compromised by giving each state one representative for every 30,000 people in the House of Representatives and two representatives in the Senate. They agreed to count enslaved Africans as three-fifths of a person. Slavery itself was a thorny question that threatened to derail the Union. It was temporarily resolved when the delegates agreed that the slave trade could continue until 1808.

Writing the Constitution

After three hot summer months of equally heated debate, the delegates appointed a Committee of Detail to put its decisions in writing. Near the end of the convention, a Committee of Style and Arrangement kneaded it into its final form, condensing 23 articles into seven in less than four days.

On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution. George Reed signed for John Dickinson of Delaware, who was absent, bringing the total number of signatures to 39. It was an extraordinary achievement. Tasked with revising the existing government, the delegates came up with a completely new one. Wary about centralized power and loyal to their states, they created a powerful central government. Representing wildly different interests and views, they crafted compromises. It stands today as one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions in the world.

Ratification

The founders set the terms for ratifying the Constitution. They bypassed the state legislatures, reasoning that their members would be reluctant to give up power to a national government. Instead, they called for special ratifying conventions in each state. Ratification by 9 of the 13 states enacted the new government. But at the time, only 6 of 13 states reported a pro-Constitution majority.

The Federalists, who believed that a strong central government was necessary to face the nation’s challenges, needed to convert at least three states. The Anti-Federalists fought hard against the Constitution because it created a powerful central government that reminded them of the one they had just overthrown, and it lacked a bill of rights.

The ratification campaign was a nail-biter. The tide turned in Massachusetts, where the “vote now, amend later” compromise helped secure victory in that state and eventually in the final holdouts.

What Does it Say? How Was it Made?

Essay on Constitution of India

500+ words indian constitution essay for students and children in english.

A Constitution is a set of rules and regulations guiding the administration of a country. The Constitution is the backbone of every democratic and secular fabric of the nation. The Constitution of India is the longest Constitution in the world, which describes the framework for political principles, procedures and powers of the government. The Constitution of India was written on 26 November 1949 and came into force on 26 January 1950. In this essay on the Constitution of India, students will get to know the salient features of India’s Constitution and how it was formed.

Constitution of India Essay

On 26th January 1950, the Constitution of India came into effect. That’s why 26th January is celebrated as Republic Day in India.

How Was the Constitution of India Formed?

The representatives of the Indian people framed the Indian Constitution after a long period of debates and discussions. It is the most detailed Constitution in the world. No other Constitution has gone into such minute details as the Indian Constitution.

The Constitution of India was framed by a Constituent Assembly which was established in 1946. Dr Rajendra Prasad was elected President of the Constituent Assembly. A Drafting Committee was appointed to draft the Constitution and Dr B.R. Ambedkar was appointed as the Chairman. The making of the Constitution took a total of 166 days, which was spread over a period of 2 years, 11 months and 18 days. Some of the salient features of the British, Irish, Swiss, French, Canadian and American Constitutions were incorporated while designing the Indian Constitution.

Also Read: Evolution and Framing of the Constitution

Features of The Constitution of India

The Constitution of India begins with a Preamble which contains the basic ideals and principles of the Constitution. It lays down the objectives of the Constitution.

The Longest Constitution in the world

The Indian Constitution is the lengthiest Constitution in the world. It had 395 articles in 22 parts and 8 schedules at the time of commencement. Now it has 448 articles in 25 parts and 12 schedules. There are 104 amendments (took place on 25th January 2020 to extend the reservation of seats for SCs and STs in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies) that have been made in the Indian Constitution so far.

How Rigid and Flexible is the Indian Constitution?

One of the unique features of our Constitution is that it is not as rigid as the American Constitution or as flexible as the British Constitution. It means it is partly rigid and partly flexible. Owing to this, it can easily change and grow with the change of times.

The Preamble

The Preamble has been added later to the Constitution of India. The original Constitution does not have a preamble. The preamble states that India is a sovereign, socialist, secular and democratic republic. The objectives stated by the Preamble are to secure justice, liberty, and equality for all citizens and promote fraternity to maintain the unity and integrity of the nation.

Federal System with Unitary Features

The powers of the government are divided between the central government and the state governments. The Constitution divides the powers of three state organs, i.e., executive, judiciary and legislature. Hence, the Indian Constitution supports a federal system. It includes many unitary features such as a strong central power, emergency provisions, appointment of Governors by the President, etc.

Fundamental rights and fundamental duties

The Indian Constitution provides an elaborate list of Fundamental Rights to the citizens of India. The Constitution also provides a list of 11 duties of the citizens, known as the Fundamental Duties. Some of these duties include respect for the national flag and national anthem, integrity and unity of the country and safeguarding of public property.

Also Read: Difference between Fundamental Rights and Fundamental Duties

India is a republic which means that a dictator or monarch does not rule the country. The government is of the people, by the people and for the people. Citizens nominate and elect its head after every five years.

Related Read: Constitution of India – 13 Major Features

The Constitution serves as guidelines for every citizen. It helped India to attain the status of a Republic in the world. Once Atal Bihari Vajpayee said that “governments would come and go, political parties would be formed and dissolved, but the country should survive, and democracy should remain there forever”.

We hope that this essay on the “Constitution of India” must have helped students. For the latest updates on ICSE/CBSE/State Board/Competitive Exams, stay tuned to BYJU’S. Also, download the BYJU’S App for watching interesting study videos.

Also Read: Independence Day Essay | Republic Day Essay | Essay on Women Empowerment

Frequently Asked Questions on Constitution of India Essay

Who is the father of our indian constitution.

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar is the father of our Indian Constitution. He framed and drafted our Constitution.

Who signed the Indian Constitution?

Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the first person from the Constitution Assembly to have signed the Indian Constitution.

What is mentioned in the Preamble of our Indian Constitution?

The preamble clearly communicates the purpose and emphasis the importance of the objectives of the Indian Constitution.

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How to Write a Constitution for School or Personal Project

Last Updated: March 27, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD . Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 797,676 times.

A constitution is a document that provides the rules on how an organization of people (e.g., a small club, a university group, or even a group as large as a country or state) runs its affairs. For most people, the need to write a constitution will likely arise in the context of a small organization. If you are writing a constitution for a student organization, your university may have a sample constitution on which you can model your own. You may also be making one for a micronation

Constitution Template

Writing the Preamble, Name, and Purpose

Section 1 of Article 1 may state, for example: “The name of this [group type] shall be (insert full name), hereafter referred to as (insert a shortened name).” [3] X Research source The shortened name may also be an acronym, and if you use an acronym, this article may say, after stating the full name of the organization, "This organization will use the name or its acronym (enter acronym) in all publicity materials and correspondence." [4] X Research source
Section 2 of Article 1 may state, for example: “The officers of (enter shortened name or acronym) shall make up the Executive Board of (enter shortened name or acronym), hereafter referred to as the ‘Board.’” [5] X Research source

Step 3 Write the purpose of the organization and of the executive board.

Section 1 of Article 2 should provide the purpose of the organization. You can write, for example: “The purpose of this organization shall be (enter in a few sentences the purpose of the organization).” [6] X Research source
Section 2 of Article 2 should provide the purpose of the executive board. You can write, for example: “The Board shall (enter purpose of the executive board).” [7] X Research source

Writing the Rules on Membership, Meetings, and Officers

Section 1 of Article 3 can say, for example: “The general body of the organization must be comprised of at least two-thirds of (enter the group(s) to whom you wish to extend two-thirds majority membership, such as students within a specific department). The requirements of membership are (insert requirements).” [9] X Research source
Section 2 of Article 3 can say, for example: “The privileges and responsibilities of membership are (enter a list of rights and responsibilities).” [10] X Research source
Section 3 of Article 3 can say, for example: “Membership may be revoked (by whom and by what procedure) due to (list criteria).” You can also use this section of Article 3 to note any restrictions on membership of specific group(s) of people. Note, however, that in the case of university organizations, it is generally against the rules to exclude people from joining your organization on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, race, religion, or disability. [11] X Research source This may also be true of non-university organizations, and it is in your best interest not to include in your constitution arbitrary rules that exclude certain groups from joining your organization for no legitimate reason.
To make clear your nondiscrimination policy, you may write, for example, "Membership shall be open to all current students, faculty, and staff of (enter name of university), regardless of age, creed, race, colour, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, disability, national origin, or status as a veteran. This list is not exhaustive."

Step 2 Provide rules on meetings and procedures.

Section 1 of Article 4 can state the frequency of meetings and can designate the party who has the right to call meetings.
Section 2 of this article can indicate how policy decisions will be made and how formal voting will take place for the approval of those decisions. [13] X Research source You can write, for example, "A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum to transact any business. A majority of those voting shall constitute an affirmative vote of the Board. Each Officer shall be entitled to one vote and the vote of the majority of the Board at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be sufficient to transact business."

Step 3 Provide the rules on holding office.

Section 1 of Article 5 can say, for example: “The group shall have the following officers…” followed by a list of officer titles. This section should also indicate the methods of nomination and election of these offices and who is eligible to hold these offices. [15] X Research source
Section 2 of Article 5 can say, for example: “The duties of these officers shall be (list duties).” [16] X Research source
Section 3 of Article 5 should state the lengths of terms that the officers can hold and any term limits. [17] X Research source
Section 4 of Article 5 should state the group from which the president and treasurer of the group may be chosen. You can write, for example: “Only members who are undergraduate students in the College of Engineering may hold the position of president or treasurer.” [18] X Research source This section should also state that no member can be president and treasurer at the same time. [19] X Research source

Writing the Rules on Elections, Committees, and By-Laws

Step 1 Write the rules on elections, appointments, and removal of officers.

Section 1 of Article 6 can say, for example: “Organizational elections must take place at least once per year.” [21] X Research source This section should also provide the general rules on elections, whereas more specific election rules can be written in the group or organisation's bylaws. [22] X Research source The general rules on elections may include, for example, rules on voting procedure. You can write, for example: "The winners of the elections for representatives shall be determined by plurality vote. No student, however, shall be elected as class representative unless he or she receives the vote of ten percent (10%) of the class from which he or she was elected."
Section 2 of Article 6 should provide the general appointment procedures for appointing officers, whereas more specific appointment procedures can be written in the bylaws. [23] X Research source
Section 3 of Article 6 can say, for example: “The members of the Board may be impeached and removed (enter grounds for impeachment and removal and enter impeachment and removal procedures).” [24] X Research source
Section 4 of Article 6 can say, for example: “In the event of a mid-term vacancy of an elected officer…” followed by the procedure for electing an interim or permanent replacement officer. [25] X Research source

Section 1 of Article 7 can say, for example: “The standing committees of this group shall be…” followed by a list of all standing committees. [27] X Research source Note: a standing committee is a permanent committee whose purpose is to consider all matters that relate to a particular subject.
Section 2 of Article 7 can say, for example: “The duties of each of these standing committees shall be…” followed by a list of the duties. [28] X Research source
Section 3 of Article 7 should provide the rules on how committee members will be selected and removed. [29] X Research source
Section 4 of Article 7 can say, for example: “Additional committees may be formed and dissolved by the group…” followed by the procedures for adding and removing committees. [30] X Research source

Step 3 Provide for the creation of bylaws.

Section 1 of Article 8 can say, for example: “Bylaws of the group shall be established and amended by…” followed by the procedures for creating and amending the group bylaws. [33] X Research source
Section 2 of Article 8 can say, for example: “Bylaws of the Board shall be established and amended by…” followed by the procedures for amending and creating bylaws of the executive board. [34] X Research source
Bylaws should not contradict anything in the Constitution. Generally, bylaws contain detailed provisions on such topics as membership, dues, duties of officers, the Board, committees, order of business, amendment procedures, and other specific policies and procedures necessary for the group or its operation.

Writing the Rules on Amendments, Ratification, and Intrepretation

Step 1 Write how the constitution can be amended.

Expert Q&A

The language contained in the constitutions and bylaws of university organizations is usually formal. Examples of a constitution and bylaws of a university organization are available here . These examples should help you determine what type of language you should use for your own constitution and bylaws. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

↑ https://www.cc-seas.columbia.edu/studentlife/groupres/newgroups/constitutions
↑ https://www.law.uci.edu/campus-life/student-organizations/registration/sample-constitution.html
↑ https://www.tamug.edu/stuact/StudentOrganizations/Docs/How%20to%20Write%20a%20Constitution.pdf
↑ https://www.ecsu.edu/current-students/student-affairs/student-engagement/files/howtowriteyourconstitutionbylaws.pdf
↑ https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/bylaws
↑ https://www.tasconline.org/writing-a-constitution
↑ https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/constitutional-beginnings-making-amending-constitutions.pdf
↑ http://www.berkeleycitycollege.edu/wp/asbcc/files/2015/02/CONSTITUTION-APRIL-2014-FINAL.pdf
↑ https://www.equalrightsamendment.org/pathstoratification
↑ https://web.jhu.edu/studentlife/involved/student_orgs/old-OSI-leftovers/SAC/SAC%20Green%20Book/4-CONSTITUTION#article8

About This Article

The best way to write a constitution is to start with the preamble, followed by the name and purpose of the organization that the constitution references. Explain the organization’s rules concerning membership, meetings, and holding office. Write the rules on elections, committees, and by-laws. Finish the constitution with rules regarding amendments, ratification, and interpretation. For detailed suggestions from our Civil Litigation reviewer, including advice about how to develop the different articles of your constitution, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Home — Essay Samples — Law, Crime & Punishment — Constitution — The Constitution of the United States

The Constitution of The United States

Categories: Constitution

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Published: Jan 4, 2019

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Essay On Constitution Of India

The Constitution of India is a set of rules and regulations that was drafted by a committee headed by Dr. B.R Ambedkar. It contains the guidelines as per which our country is expected to function such that its political, legal, and social ecosystems stay maintained. Here are a few sample essays on “Constitution of India”.

100 Words Essay On Constitution of India

The Constitution of India is a legal document that outlines the political system's framework and the obligations, privileges, and restraints to which this country should adhere.

The Indian Constitution came into force on this date in 1950. Although Dr. Ambedkar is renowned for his significant contribution to the constitution's drafting, 299 people put a lot of effort into making it what it is today.

The Indian constitution is the lengthiest in the world. There are 25 parts, 448 articles, and 12 schedules in it. The people who wrote the constitution had to pay attention to even the most minor details because our country is vast, with many different cultures, castes, religions, and states.

200 Words Essay On Constitution of India

The Indian constitution is a document which contains the framework of our political system, the duties, rights, limitations, and structure of government that we should follow in this nation. In addition, it lays out the rights and obligations of Indian citizens. In India, nobody, not even the prime minister or the president, can violate the constitution.

Republic Day | India celebrates Republic Day on January 26 every year. This day is remembered as when the Indian Constitution became effective in 1950. Dr. Ambedkar played a significant role in drafting the constitution, but 299 others prominently contributed to its creation.

Length | The Indian constitution is the lengthiest in the world. It has 448 articles organised into 25 parts and 12 schedules. The drafting and enforcement of the constitution were democratic processes. It protects the fundamental rights of every Indian.

Provisions | The constitution divides the strengths of three governmental institutions: the executive, judiciary, and legislature. This means that the Indian Constitution advocates for a federal government. According to the Preamble, the country's unity and integrity must be safeguarded by achieving justice, liberty, and equality for all people. State governments and the central government share government powers. The constitution says India is a republic, meaning no dictator or king governs it. Individuals are the public authority. Citizens elect their leaders every five years.

500 Words Essay on The Constitution of India

The longest constitution of any sovereign state in the world, the Indian Constitution offers a comprehensive framework for governing the nation while considering its diversity in social, cultural, and religious beliefs.

Constituent Assembly

The members of the provincial assemblies chosen by the Indian people formed the Constituent Assembly of India, which drafted the constitution. Dr Sachidanand Sinha presided over the Constituent Assembly as its first president. Later, Dr Rajendra Prasad was chosen to serve as its leader.

Length Of The Constitution

The Indian Constitution is the world's longest-written constitution for any sovereign nation and is a unique document with many extraordinary features. The constitution's original text had 395 articles divided into 25 parts and 12 schedules. It became effective on January 26, 1950, and India celebrated Republic Day. Since then, 100 amendments have brought the total number of articles to 448.

Drafting Of The Constitution

The Indian Constitution, which offers a comprehensive and dynamic framework to guide and govern the country while keeping in mind its unique social, cultural, and religious diversity, is credited to Dr BR Ambedkar, chairman of its drafting committee. It creates the three main branches of government—executive, legislative, and judicial—and lays out their respective roles, responsibilities, and powers. It also governs their interactions with one another.

In the Preamble to the Constitution, India is described as a welfare state dedicated to securing justice, liberty, and equality for all citizens and fostering fraternity, the dignity of each person, and the unity and integrity of the country. The Preamble's objectives form the fundamental framework of the Indian Constitution, which cannot be changed. The Preamble's opening and closing clauses, "We, the People... adopt, enact, and give to ourselves this Constitution," indicate that the people ultimately hold the reins of power.

Fundamental Rights

The constitution grants citizens a wide range of fundamental rights. These include the following:

The right to equality

The right to freedom

The right against exploitation

The right to freedom of religion

The right to cultural and educational freedom

The right to constitutional remedies

These rights are actionable in court, and if one is violated, a person may file a petition with the Supreme Court or one of the High Courts. However, there are limitations to India's fundamental rights. It is possible to impose reasonable limitations. Fundamental duties were added to the constitution by the 42nd Amendment in 1976 to remind people that while exercising their rights as citizens, they also have obligations because rights and obligations are correlated.

Directive Principles Of State Policy

The constitution also has a chapter on the ‘Directive Principles Of State Policy’. These serve as instructions to the government on how to put them into practice to establish social and economic democracy in the country.

The fact that the constitution is a living document that can change over time through interpretation or amendment is one of its advantages. To avoid impeding the nation's and its people's progress, it is also among the most frequently amended constitutions in the world.

As a result, the success of the Indian Constitution for a nation as diverse and as complex as India continues to fascinate, astound, and incite experts worldwide.

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Essay on Indian Constitution in 100, 250, and 350 words

Updated on
Jan 3, 2024

The constitution of India was written and adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26th November 1949 but it became effective on 26th January 1950. It is a set of rules and regulations that guide the administration of the country. It is the backbone of every democratic and secular fabric of the nation. The Indian Constitution is the longest in the world and describes the framework for political principles, procedures and powers of the government. This is just a brief paragraph on the Indian constitution, we have provided samples of essay on Indian Constitution. Let’s explore them!

Table of Contents

1 Essay on Indian Constitution in 100 words
2 Essay on Indian Constitution in 250 words
3 Essay on Indian Constitution in 350 words
4 Indian Constitution Defines the Fundamental Rights and Duties of Indian Citizens
5 The Constitution Defines the Structure and Working of the Government
6 Conclusion

Learn more about the Making of Indian Constitution

Essay on Indian Constitution in 100 words

The Indian Constitution became effective on the 26th of January 1950 although the Constituent Assembly adopted it on the 26th of November 1949. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar headed the drafting committee that wrote it. Hence, it was the longest-written constitution of India and provides a detailed account of the fundamental rights and duties of the citizens of India. The original constitution of India is the lengthiest in the world and is hand-written and calligraphed. It is the supreme law of India that is drafted by the Constituent Assembly which is even superior to the Parliament. After the constitution came into effect, the status of India changed from “Dominion of India” to “Republic of India”. Hence, 26th January is celebrated as The Republic Day of India.

Essay on Indian Constitution in 250 words

The Indian Constitution was drafted under the chairmanship of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar who is known as the ‘Father of Indian Constitution’. It took almost 3 years to draft the same. Various aspects of the society such as economic, socio-political, etc were taken into consideration while drafting the constitution. While drafting the Indian Constitution, the drafting committee took into consideration various constitutions of other countries such as France, Japan and Britain to seek valuable insights.

The Fundamental Rights and Duties of the Indian Citizens, the Directive Principles of State Policy and the Federal Structure of the Government of India, all were included in the Indian Constitution. Every policy, duty and right has been explained at length in the Indian Constitution hence making it the lengthiest written constitution in the world.

There were more than 2000 amendments that had to be made to the Indian Constitution to get it approved. The same was adopted on November 26th, 1949 and was enforced on January 26th, 1950. From that day onwards, the status of India changed from “Dominion of India” to “Republic of India”. And that is why since then, 26th January is celebrated as the Republic Day. On this occasion, the National Flag of India is hoisted at various places across the nation and the National Anthem is sung to rejoice the day. There is a special day that is dedicated to the Indian Constitution known as the ‘National Constitution Day’ that came into existence in 2015.

Essay on Indian Constitution in 350 words

The Indian Constitution is the supreme document that gives a very detailed account of what the citizens of India can and also cannot do. It has been set up as a standard that needs to be followed to ensure law and order in society and also to help it develop and prosper.

Indian Constitution Defines the Fundamental Rights and Duties of Indian Citizens

The duties and the Fundamental Rights of the Indian citizens have been clearly stated and defined in the Constitution of India. The Fundamental Rights include:

The Right to Equality
The Right to Freedom
The Right to Freedom of Religion
Cultural and Educational Rights
Right Against Exploitation
Right to Constitutional Remedies

These are the basic rights and all the citizens across the country are entitled to the same irrespective of their colour, caste, creed, or religion.

Fundamental Duties of the Indian CItizens that are included in the Indian Constitution are:-

Respecting the Constitution of India
To always honour the National Anthem and the National Flag
To protect the unity
Preserving the heritage of the county
Protecting the integrity and sovereignty of India
Promoting the spirit of brotherhood
To have compassion for living creatures
To strive for excellence
To protect public property and contribute your bit to maintaining peace

These are also mentioned in detail in the Indian Constitution.

The Constitution Defines the Structure and Working of the Government

The working of the Government as well as its structure is also mentioned in detail in the Indian Constitution. The Indian Constitution mentions that India has a parliamentary system of government that is present at the centre as well as in states. The power to take major decisions lies with the Prime Minister and the Union Council of Ministers. The president of India on the other hand, has nominal powers.

Deepansh Gautam

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42 Writing Prompts About The Constitution

Although it was written in the 18th century, the U.S. Constitution is the principle by which our country lives.

This means that it is very important for students to read, learn about, and understand the Constitution and how it affects their lives—even in ways that they’d never realized.

As you study American History and the Constitution, it is important to give students a chance to write about and reflect on what they’ve learned so they can really understand the material.

Below, you’ll find a list of writing prompts—which can be changed depending on grade level—to help students think more deeply about the Constitution and what they’ve learned.

How to use these prompts:

Use this writing guide in tandem with your curriculum about American History and the U.S. Constitution. Here are some ways you can use this list of prompts in your classroom:

Divide your classroom into groups and have each group work on a certain number of prompts.
Challenge your students to write using one prompt in their journal each day for a week.
Use these prompts to help students gain a further understanding if they seem to be struggling with the topic.

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Writing Prompts

Who are some prominent people who were at the creation of the Constitution?
Why is the Constitution important?
What is the Bill of Rights?
Why is the Bill of Rights so important today?
Make a list of 5 things that are considered a right.
Make a list of 5 things that are not considered a right.
Copy the preamble to the Constitution in your best handwriting.
Pretend to be a reporter and write an article about the creation of the Constitution.
How does the system of checks and balances work?
What is the role of the legislative branch of the government?
What is the role of the executive branch of the government?
What is the role of the judicial branch of the government?
What is an amendment?
Why was it important to create amendments to the Constitution?
Paparazzi are protected by freedom of the press. Do you think they overuse this right in order to get the best pictures and stories, or are they within their rights to do what they want?
If you could write an amendment to the Constitution today, what would it be?
Write your own Bill of Rights for your classroom.
How did the Constitution create a division in the U.S.?
Why did the U.S. abandon the Articles of Confederation in exchange for the Constitution?
Do you think the Constitution applies to today, or should it be changed because times have changed?
Which amendment in the Bill of Rights do you think is the most important? Why?
Do you agree that all U.S. citizens should read and understand the Constitution? Explain your answer.
How did the Revolutionary War influence the Constitution?
Do you think the Constitution could be changed in the future?
Write 2-5 paragraphs discussing what you know about the creation of the U.S. Constitution.
Are students able to influence a change in school rules and policies? Explain with examples.
Have you ever signed a petition for change? Explain?
What does it mean to be accountable to the law?
What happens when groups of people stop abiding by the law?
Give an example of someone following a law even when it’s inconvenient for them to do so.
Give at least five examples of how the rule of law affects your daily life.
How does the Constitution guarantee that citizens are to be treated fairly by the government?
Summarize the Preamble of the Constitution.
What does the first amendment of the Bill of Rights guarantee? Give a few examples throughout U.S. history where this right proved to be important.
Compare and contrast two amendments in the Bill of Rights.
Why do you think Congress is so unpopular among the American people?
Why do states have their own constitutions? Do they vary by state?
Which U.S. state’s name is spelled wrong in the Constitution? How do you think this happened?
Does the Constitution mention women’s rights? Explain your answer.
Is slavery mentioned in the Constitution? Explain your answer.
Compare and contrast the U.S. Constitution with state constitutions.
What are the seven main purposes of the U.S. Constitution? Do you think any one is more important than the others? Explain.

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The first amendment, the united states constitution.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, 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.

The Constitutional Convention

Section 1: congress.

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

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 Qualifications 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 five 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 fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first 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 five, New-York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.

When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.

The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers;and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.

Section 3: The Senate

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 first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of 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 fill 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 chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office 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 Affirmation. 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 Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit 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: Elections

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 chusing Senators.

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day.

Section 5: Powers and Duties of Congress

Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications 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 Behaviour, 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 fifth 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: Rights and Disabilities of Members

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 going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.

No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been encreased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during his Continuance in Office.

Section 7: Legislative Process

All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.

Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.

Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.

Section 8: Powers of Congress

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises , to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

To establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy;

To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards and other needful Buildings;-And

To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

Section 9: Powers Denied Congress

The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person.

The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.

No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or enumeration herein before directed to be taken.

No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.

No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another: nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another.

No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.

No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.

Section 10: Powers Denied to the States

No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.

No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Controul of the Congress.

No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.

The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America.

He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.

The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; A quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice President.

The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.

No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.

The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be encreased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them.

Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:--"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.

He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.

The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Article III

The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.

The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority;--to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls;--to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction;--to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party;-- to Controversies between two or more States;--between a State and Citizens of another State;--between Citizens of different States;--between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.

In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.

The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment; shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.

Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.

Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.

The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.

A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on Demand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime.

No Person held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labour, but shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labour may be due.

New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.

The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.

The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence.

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.

All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

Article VII

The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same.

First Amendment

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Second Amendment

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Third Amendment

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Fourth Amendment

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Fifth Amendment

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Sixth Amendment

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Seventh Amendment

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Eighth Amendment

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Ninth Amendment

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

10th Amendment

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

11th Amendment

The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.

12th Amendment

The Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate; -- the President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted; -- The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President. -- The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.

13th Amendment

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

14th Amendment

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States , or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

15th Amendment

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

16th Amendment

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

17th Amendment

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.

18th Amendment

After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.

The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

19th Amendment

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

20th Amendment

The terms of the President and the Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.

If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified.

The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.

Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the ratification of this article.

This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission.

21st Amendment

The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

22nd Amendment

No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.

23rd Amendment

The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as Congress may direct: A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

24th Amendment

The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay poll tax or other tax.

25th Amendment

In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.

Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President. Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.

26th Amendment

The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.

27th Amendment

No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.

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The Federalist Papers

Appearing in New York newspapers as the New York Ratification Convention met in Poughkeepsie, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison wrote as Publius and addressed the citizens of New York through the Federalist Papers. These essays subsequently circulated and were reprinted throughout the states as the Ratification process unfolded in other states. Initially appearing as individual items in several New York newspapers, all eighty-five essays were eventually combined and published as The Federalist . Click here to view a chronology of the Printing and Reprintings of The Federalist .

Considerable debate has surrounded these essays since their publication. Many suggest they represent the best exposition of the Constitution to date. Their conceptual design would affirm this view. Others contend that they were mere propaganda to allay fears of the opposition to the Constitution. Regardless, they are often included in the canon of the world’s great political writings. A complete introduction exploring the purpose, authorship, circulation, and reactions to The Federalist can be found here.

General Introduction

No. 1 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 27 October 1787

Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence

No. 2 (Jay) New York Independent Journal , 31 October 1787
No. 3 (Jay) New York Independent Journal , 3 November 1787
No. 4 (Jay) New York Independent Journal , 7 November 1787
No. 5 (Jay) New York Independent Journal , 10 November 1787

Concerning Dangers from Dissensions Between the States

No. 6 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 14 November 1787
No. 7 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 17 November 1787
No. 8 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 20 November 1787
No. 9 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 21 November 1787

The Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection

No. 10 (Madison) New York Daily Advertiser , 22 November 1787

The Utility of the Union in Respect to Commercial Relations and a Navy

No. 11 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 24 November 1787

The Utility of the Union in Respect to Revenue

No. 12 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 27 November 1787

Advantage of the Union in Respect to Economy in Government

No. 13 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 28 November 1787

Objections to the Proposed Constitution from Extent of Territory Answered

No. 14 (Madison) New York Packet , 30 November 1787

The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union

No. 15 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 1 December 1787
No. 16 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 4 December 1787
No. 17 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 5 December 1787
No. 18 (Madison with Hamilton) New York Packet , 7 December 1787
No. 19 (Madison with Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 8 December 1787
No. 20 (Madison with Hamilton) New York Packet , 11 December 1787
No. 21 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 12 December 1787
No. 22 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 14 December 1787

The Necessity of Energetic Government to Preserve of the Union

No. 23 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 18 December 1787

Powers Necessary to the Common Defense Further Considered

No. 24 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 19 December 1787
No. 25 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 21 December 1787

Restraining the Legislative Authority in Regard to the Common Defense

No. 26 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 22 December 1787
No. 27 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 25 December 1787
No. 28 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 26 December 1787

Concerning the Militia

No. 29 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 9 January 1788

Concerning the General Power of Taxation

No. 30 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 28 December 1787
No. 31 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 1 January 1788
Nos. 32–33 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 2 January 1788
No. 34 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 4 January 1788
No. 35 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 5 January 1788
No. 36 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 8 January 1788

The Difficulties of the Convention in Devising a Proper Form of Government

No. 37 (Madison) New York Daily Advertiser , 11 January 1788
No. 38 (Madison) New York Independent Journal , 12 January 1788

The Conformity of the Plan to Republican Principles

No. 39 (Madison) New York Independent Journal , 16 January 1788

The Powers of the Convention to Form a Mixed Government Examined

No. 40 (Madison) New York Packet , 18 January 1788

General View of the Powers Conferred by the Constitution

No. 41 (Madison) New York Independent Journal , 19 January 1788
No. 42 (Madison) New York Packet , 22 January 1788
No. 43 (Madison) New York Independent Journal , 23 January 1788

Restrictions on the Authority of the Several States

No. 44 (Madison) New York Packet , 25 January 1788

Alleged Danger from the Powers of the Union to the State Governments

No. 45 (Madison) New York Independent Journal , 26 January 1788

Influence of the State and Federal Governments Compared

No. 46 (Madison) New York Packet , 29 January 1788

Structure of the New Government and the Distribution of Powers

No. 47 (Madison) New York Independent Journal , 30 January 1788

Departments Should Not Be So Far Separated

No. 48 (Madison) New York Packet , 1 February 1788

Guarding Against the Encroachments of Any One Department of Government

No. 49 (Madison) New York Independent Journal , 2 February 1788

Periodic Appeals to the People Considered

No. 50 (Madison) New York Packet , 5 February 1788

Structure of Government Must Furnish Proper Checks and Balances

No. 51 (Madison) New York Independent Journal , 6 February 1788

The House of Representatives

No. 52 (Madison?) New York Packet , 8 February 1788
No. 53 (Madison or Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 9 February 1788

The Apportionment of Members Among the States

No. 54 (Madison) New York Packet , 12 February 1788

The Total Number of the House of Representatives

No. 55 (Madison?) New York Independent Journal , 13 February 1788
No. 56 (Madison?) New York Independent Journal , 16 February 1788

The Alleged Tendency of the Plan to Elevate the Few at the Expense of the Many

No. 57 (Madison?) New York Packet , 19 February 1788

Objection That the Numbers Will Not Be Augmented as Population Increases

No. 58 (Madison?) New York Independent Journal , 20 February 1788

Concerning the Power of Congress to Regulate the Election of Members

No. 59 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 22 February 1788
No. 60 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 23 February 1788
No. 61 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 26 February 1788
No. 62 (Madison?) New York Independent Journal , 27 February 1788
No. 63 (Madison?) New York Independent Journal , 1 March 1788
No. 64 (Jay) New York Independent Journal , 5 March 1788
No. 65 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 7 March 1788

Objections to the Power of the Senate to Set as a Court for Impeachments

No. 66 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 8 March 1788

The Executive Department

No. 67 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 11 March 1788

The Mode of Electing the President

No. 68 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 12 March 1788

The Real Character of the Executive

No. 69 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 14 March 1788

The Executive Department Further Considered

No. 70 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 15 March 1788

The Duration in Office of the Executive

No. 71 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 18 March 1788

Re-Eligibility of the Executive Considered

No. 72 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 19 March 1788

Provision for The Support of the Executive, and the Veto Power

No. 73 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 21 March 1788

The Command of the Military and Naval Forces, and the Pardoning Power

No. 74 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 25 March 1788

The Treaty Making Power of the Executive

No. 75 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 26 March 1788

The Appointing Power of the Executive

No. 76 (Hamilton) New York Packet , 1 April 1788

Appointing Power and Other Powers of the Executive Considered

No. 77 (Hamilton) New York Independent Journal , 2 April 1788

The Judiciary Department

No. 78 (Hamilton) Book Edition, Volume II, 28 May 1788
No. 79 (Hamilton) Book Edition, Volume II, 28 May 1788

The Powers of the Judiciary

No. 80 (Hamilton) Book Edition, Volume II, 28 May 1788

The Judiciary Continued, and the Distribution of the Judicial Authority

No. 81 (Hamilton) Book Edition, Volume II, 28 May 1788

The Judiciary Continued

No. 82 (Hamilton) Book Edition, Volume II, 28 May 1788

The Judiciary Continued in Relation to Trial by Jury

No. 83 (Hamilton) Book Edition, Volume II, 28 May 1788

Miscellaneous Objections to the Constitution Considered

No. 84 (Hamilton) Book Edition, Volume II, 28 May 1788

Concluding Remarks

No. 85 (Hamilton) Book Edition, Volume II, 28 May 1788

Essay: The Constitution, the First Amendment, and Religious Liberty

The Constitution, the First Amendment, and Religious Liberty

Directions: Read the essay and answer the critical thinking questions.

Throughout world history, religious conflicts have been widespread and bloody. In contrast, Americans of various faiths have been able, with some exceptions, to live side by side in relative harmony. What has made the difference? Religious liberty is one important answer. To support religious liberty, the Founders worked to ensure that government was properly limited in its purpose, as well as in its power.

Virginia’s Religious Revolution

At the time the Constitution was ratified, many of the original 13 states still supported established churches. Many Americans believed that government should support religion because religion promoted virtuous lives and nurtured the social order needed for self-government.

The Anglican Church was the established denomination in Virginia, though citizens could belong to any Christian church. Baptists were a fast-growing minority in Virginia. They did not believe that the government should have so much control over religion, and did not follow Virginia’s law that required a license to preach. As a result, Baptists were arrested, fined, and sometimes physically assaulted. Baptist preachers were whipped and dunked into mud to the point of near drowning. Baptists petitioned the Virginia government to disestablish the Anglican Church, and give all churches equal rights and benefits.

In 1776, the Virginia legislature adopted a Declaration of Rights, which included a provision dealing with religion. George Mason, the Declaration’s chief draftsman, first wrote: “All Men shou’d enjoy the fullest Toleration in the Exercise of Religion, according to the Dictates of Conscience.” But a young James Madison thought Mason’s draft did not go far enough. Madison believed that the language of “toleration” meant that a government could grant—or deny—citizens the privilege of exercising religion. Madison recommended new wording affirming that free religious belief and exercise were a natural right and duty of all. The final Declaration declared “That Religion, or the duty which we owe to our CREATOR, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence; and therefore all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience.…”

Religious dissenters, who were not members of the established church, thought the logic of the provision would place all churches on an equal footing before the law and lead to disestablishment. However, Virginians would continue to debate the implications of this provision for the next decade.

Religious Assessments

By the mid-1780s, taxes to support the Anglican Church had been suspended. In 1784, Patrick Henry proposed a general tax called the Bill Establishing a Provision for Teachers [Ministers] of the Christian Religion. Similar to some New England state laws, citizens would choose which Christian church received their support, or the money could go to a general fund to be distributed by the state legislature.

One notable supporter of the bill was George Washington. He wrote to James Madison: “No man’s sentiments are more opposed to any kind of restraint upon religious principles than mine are; yet I must confess, that I am not amongst the number of those who are so much alarmed at the thoughts of making people pay towards the support of that which they profess, if of the denominations of Christians; or declare themselves Jews, Mahomitans or otherwise, & thereby obtain proper relief.”

Opponents of the bill included James Madison. Madison wrote the Memorial and Remonstrance (1785) opposing the proposed tax. He asserted that religion could not be forced on people, and that state support actually corrupted religion. Government properly limited, rather, would promote a civil society in which people of different faiths could maintain their beliefs according to their own consciences. Madison’s side won the debate and Henry’s religious assessments bill did not pass.

The next year, the Virginia legislature passed The Virginia Statute for Establishing Religious Freedom, written by Thomas Jefferson. This 1786 law (still on the books in Virginia) banned government interference in religion and individual beliefs. Some, but not all, other states gradually followed the example of Virginia.

The Constitution and the First Amendment

At the Constitutional Convention in 1787, the delegates did not discuss basing the government on a religion. The only mention of religion in the body of the U.S. Constitution is to ban religious tests for national office in Article 6, Section 3. Federal employees and elected officials did not have to belong to a specific church or even be religious. This provision passed without debate.

The Constitution likely would not have been ratified without the promise of a Bill of Rights. Many states sent Congress proposed amendments that would add protections from the national government. Included in the proposals was protection for freedom of religion. Congress spent weeks debating different wordings. Finally, amendments were sent to the states for ratification. The religion clauses of the First Amendment read: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” The first part, known as the Establishment Clause, prohibited the national government from having anything to do with a national religion. Second, the Free Exercise Clause denied the national government the power to pass laws that stopped individuals from practicing their religions.

States did not have to disestablish their churches because the Constitution and Bill of Rights only applied to the national government. Some of the states maintained established churches and many maintained religious tests for office for many years.

CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS

What was the Bill Establishing a Provision for Teachers of the Christian Religion? What arguments were put forth for and against it?
George Washington supported religious liberty, but did not oppose the proposed Bill Establishing a Provision for Teachers of the Christian Religion. How did he reconcile these positions?
Why could states establish religions and require religious tests even after the ratification of the Constitution and Bill of Rights?
Today, there are over 55 countries with established religions. However, a similar number of countries have moved toward religious freedom over the last 150 years. Why do you think the trend over the last 150 years has been to disestablish religions?

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Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Essay

Essay on Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

Dr B. R. Ambedkar is looked up to as a symbol of equality. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar played an important role in framing the constitution of our country. He outlawed the discrimination against lower castes or untouchables and wanted to establish equality among our countrymen. He said that he believed in a society where friendship, equality, and brotherhood exist. However, a man who did so much for our country had suffered many atrocities about his caste in the initial days.

Below is the detailed journey of our legend Bhim Rao Ambedkar that has been set by Vedantu experts after deep research and several quality checks.

Bhim Rao Ambedkar was a person with multiple talents as he was an educationist, jurist, and worked as a socio-political reformer. In free India, his contribution is precious in varied arenas and the list of his achievements is long. Therefore, while writing an essay about Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, it is a wise step to include the content from all the avenues based on his experiences and life so that total justice can be made by those who attempt to write an informational essay about this legendary figure. Here you go:

History Facts about Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

Born on 14 April 1891 in a village named Mhow in the Indore district of Madhya Pradesh, Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was also known as Babasaheb Ambedkar. His father Ramji Sakpal, was in the Indian Army, serving the country. With his good work, he was ranked as Subedar in the army. His mother's name was Bhima bai. From the beginning, Ramji encouraged his children to study and to work hard, due to which Bhimrao Ambedkar was fond of studies since childhood. However, he belonged to the Mahar caste, and people belonging to this caste were also called untouchables at that time. The meaning of untouchable was that if any belonging of the upper castes was touched by the people of the lower caste, it was considered impure and the people of the upper caste would not use those things.

Even the children belonging to the lower caste could not go to school for studies due to the poor thinking of the society. Fortunately, the government ran a special school for the children of all the employees working in the army, so B. R. Ambedkar's early education could be possible. Despite being good at studies, he along with all the lower caste children accompanying him were seated outside the class or in the corner of the class. The teachers there also paid little attention to them. These children were not allowed to even touch the tap to drink water. The peon of the school used to pour water on his hands from afar and then they used to get water to drink. When the peon was not there, they had to study and go without water, despite being thirsty.

After Ramji Sakpal retired in 1894, his entire family moved to a place called Satara in Maharashtra, but only after 2 years, Ambedkar's mother died. After this, his aunt took care of him in difficult circumstances. Ramji Sakpal and his wife had 14 children, out of which only three sons and three daughters survived the difficult conditions. And among his brothers and sisters, Bhimrao Ambedkar was the only one who succeeded in ignoring the social discrimination to continue further education, in 1897.

Education of Dr Ambedkar

Ambedkar took admission to Mumbai's high school, and he was the first lower-caste student to get admission in that school. In 1907, Ambedkar passed his high school examination. This success triggered a wave of happiness among the people of his caste because it was a big thing to pass high school at that time and it was amazing to have someone from their community to achieve it.

After that Bhimrao Ambedkar obtained degrees in Economics and Political Science in 1912, breaking all records in the field of studies. In 1913, he went to America for post-graduation and there in 1915 from Columbia University, he did M.A. He was awarded a PhD for one of his researches in the following year. In 1916, he published the book Evolution of Provincial Finance in British India. B.R. Ambedkar went to London in 1916 with his doctoral degree, where he studied law at the London School of Economics and enrolled in the degree for Doctorate in Economics.

However, in the next year, after the scholarship money ran out, he had to leave his studies in the middle and return to India. After that, he came to India and did a lot of other jobs like clerical jobs and the job of an accountant. He completed his research by going back to London in 1923 with the help of his remaining money. He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Science by the University. Since then, he spent the rest of his life in the service of society. He participated in many campaigns for the independence of India, wrote many books for the social freedom of Dalits, and made India an independent nation. In 1926 he became a member of the Mumbai Legislative Council. On 13 October 1935, Ambedkar was made the Principal of the Government Law College and worked on this post for 2 years.

Emerging as a Politician

In 1936, Ambedkar founded the Independent Labour Party which later contested the Central Assembly elections and won 15 seats. Between 1941 and 1945 he published several books, like ‘Thoughts in Pakistan’. In this book, the demand for creating a separate country for Muslims was strongly opposed. Ambedkar's vision of India was different. He wanted to see the whole country without falling apart, which is why he strongly criticized the policies of the leaders who wanted to divide India. After India's independence on 15 August 1947, Ambedkar became the first law minister and despite his deteriorating health, he gave a strong law to India. Then his written constitution came into force on 26 January 1950, and in addition to this, the Reserve Bank of India was established with the views of Bhimrao Ambedkar. After all, while struggling with political issues, Bhimrao Ambedkar's health deteriorated day by day, and then on 6 December 1956, he passed away. He had changed the thinking of the society to a great extent, he ensured that Dalits and women get their rights.

Some Interesting Facts About Dr B.R. Ambedkar

In an essay about Dr B. R. Ambedkar, it will be interesting to include the fact that Ambedkar Jayanti is the biggest Jayanti observed as an annual festival in the world.

He is known as the number 1 scholar in the world and he is also the first person from the South Asia region to pursue PhD in Economics subject.

His slogan “life should be great rather than long” showed the right path to many people globally.

Dr B. R. Ambedkar is famous as the symbol of knowledge in the world as he completed different higher degrees, like MSc, M.A., PhD, and many more.

Dr B. R. Ambedkar is also knowns as Babasaheb Ambedkar, he was a great politician and jurist. He struggled a lot throughout his life, he implied laws for the lower caste people and he was the only chief architect of the Indian constitution. To date, he is remembered for his good deeds and welfare.

FAQs on Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Essay

What are the Achievements of B.R. Ambedkar?

After India's independence on 15 August 1947, Ambedkar became the first law minister and despite deteriorating health, he gave a strong law to India. Then his written constitution came into force on 26 January 1950 and in addition to this, the Reserve Bank of India was established with the help of the views of Bhimrao Ambedkar. The achievements of this legend cannot be conveyed in just a few lines, so it is required to write an essay compiling the historical background with other events.

What made Bhim Rao Ambedkar so famous in India?

It was Ambedkar's legacy that made him a superhero among the general public of India. Being a socio-political reformer, he made a deep mark on the public of modern India. Having gained a repute as a scholar in India, he was chosen to be appointed as the first law minister in free India. He also became the chairman of the constitution drafting committee. He was a believer in freedom and firmly criticized a caste-based society. So, these are a few facts that make him famous.

What slogan did B.R. Ambedkar give that gained so much popularity?

B. R. Ambedkar gave many slogans like “life should be great rather than short”, “if I find the constitution misused, I will be the first to burn it”, and more. But, his slogan life is great rather than shortly gained popularity not only in India but also on a global scale. The reason is quite simple that people from everywhere can relate to this slogan. And, this slogan inspires everyone to enhance the quality of their life instead of counting the number of years to live.

What made Dr Bimrao Ramji Ambedkar number 1 scholar?

Dr B. R. Ambedkar is known as the number 1 scholar as he had done so much in education. The legend completed his masters in 64 subjects. Plus, he was the first Indian to have completed his doctorate. And, his knowledge was not confined to one or two languages as he was versed with 9 different languages. He received the Indian first civilian award the Bharat Ratna after his death. There are innumerable contributions that make him great in different areas.

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Guest Essay

It’s Time to End the Quiet Cruelty of Property Taxes

A black-and-white photograph of a beaten-up dollhouse sitting on rocky ground beneath an underpass.

By Andrew W. Kahrl

Dr. Kahrl is a professor of history and African American studies at the University of Virginia and the author of “The Black Tax: 150 Years of Theft, Exploitation, and Dispossession in America.”

Property taxes, the lifeblood of local governments and school districts, are among the most powerful and stealthy engines of racism and wealth inequality our nation has ever produced. And while the Biden administration has offered many solutions for making the tax code fairer, it has yet to effectively tackle a problem that has resulted not only in the extraordinary overtaxation of Black and Latino homeowners but also in the worsening of disparities between wealthy and poorer communities. Fixing these problems requires nothing short of a fundamental re-examination of how taxes are distributed.

In theory, the property tax would seem to be an eminently fair one: The higher the value of your property, the more you pay. The problem with this system is that the tax is administered by local officials who enjoy a remarkable degree of autonomy and that tax rates are typically based on the collective wealth of a given community. This results in wealthy communities enjoying lower effective tax rates while generating more tax revenues; at the same time, poorer ones are forced to tax property at higher effective rates while generating less in return. As such, property assessments have been manipulated throughout our nation’s history to ensure that valuable property is taxed the least relative to its worth and that the wealthiest places will always have more resources than poorer ones.

Black people have paid the heaviest cost. Since they began acquiring property after emancipation, African Americans have been overtaxed by local governments. By the early 1900s, an acre of Black-owned land was valued, for tax purposes, higher than an acre of white-owned land in most of Virginia’s counties, according to my calculations, despite being worth about half as much. And for all the taxes Black people paid, they got little to nothing in return. Where Black neighborhoods began, paved streets, sidewalks and water and sewer lines often ended. Black taxpayers helped to pay for the better-resourced schools white children attended. Even as white supremacists treated “colored” schools as another of the white man’s burdens, the truth was that throughout the Jim Crow era, Black taxpayers subsidized white education.

Freedom from these kleptocratic regimes drove millions of African Americans to move to Northern and Midwestern states in the Great Migration from 1915 to 1970, but they were unable to escape racist assessments, which encompassed both the undervaluation of their property for sales purposes and the overvaluation of their property for taxation purposes. During those years, the nation’s real estate industry made white-owned property in white neighborhoods worth more because it was white. Since local tax revenue was tied to local real estate markets, newly formed suburbs had a fiscal incentive to exclude Black people, and cities had even more reason to keep Black people confined to urban ghettos.

As the postwar metropolis became a patchwork of local governments, each with its own tax base, the fiscal rationale for segregation intensified. Cities were fiscally incentivized to cater to the interests of white homeowners and provide better services for white neighborhoods, especially as middle-class white people began streaming into the suburbs, taking their tax dollars with them.

One way to cater to wealthy and white homeowners’ interests is to intentionally conduct property assessments less often. The city of Boston did not conduct a citywide property reassessment between 1946 and 1977. Over that time, the values of properties in Black neighborhoods increased slowly when compared with the values in white neighborhoods or even fell, which led to property owners’ paying relatively more in taxes than their homes were worth. At the same time, owners of properties in white neighborhoods got an increasingly good tax deal as their neighborhoods increased in value.

As was the case in other American cities, Boston’s decision most likely derived from the fear that any updates would hasten the exodus of white homeowners and businesses to the suburbs. By the 1960s, assessments on residential properties in Boston’s poor neighborhoods were up to one and a half times as great as their actual values, while assessments in the city’s more affluent neighborhoods were, on average, 40 percent of market value.

Jersey City, N.J., did not conduct a citywide real estate reassessment between 1988 and 2018 as part of a larger strategy for promoting high-end real estate development. During that time, real estate prices along the city’s waterfront soared but their owners’ tax bills remained relatively steady. By 2015, a home in one of the city’s Black and Latino neighborhoods worth $175,000 received the same tax bill as a home in the city’s downtown worth $530,000.

These are hardly exceptions. Numerous studies conducted during those years found that assessments in predominantly Black neighborhoods of U.S. cities were grossly higher relative to value than those in white areas.

These problems persist. A recent report by the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy found that property assessments were regressive (meaning lower-valued properties were assessed higher relative to value than higher-valued ones) in 97.7 percent of U.S. counties. Black-owned homes and properties in Black neighborhoods continue to be devalued on the open market, making this regressive tax, in effect, a racist tax.

The overtaxation of Black homes and neighborhoods is also a symptom of a much larger problem in America’s federated fiscal structure. By design, this system produces winners and losers: localities with ample resources to provide the goods and services that we as a nation have entrusted to local governments and others that struggle to keep the lights on, the streets paved, the schools open and drinking water safe . Worse yet, it compels any fiscally disadvantaged locality seeking to improve its fortunes to do so by showering businesses and corporations with tax breaks and subsidies while cutting services and shifting tax burdens onto the poor and disadvantaged. A local tax on local real estate places Black people and cities with large Black populations at a permanent disadvantage. More than that, it gives middle-class white people strong incentives to preserve their relative advantages, fueling the zero-sum politics that keep Americans divided, accelerates the upward redistribution of wealth and impoverishes us all.

There are technical solutions. One, which requires local governments to adopt more accurate assessment models and regularly update assessment rolls, can help make property taxes fairer. But none of the proposed reforms being discussed can be applied nationally because local tax policies are the prerogative of the states and, often, local governments themselves. Given the variety and complexity of state and local property tax laws and procedures and how much local governments continue to rely on tax reductions and tax shifting to attract and retain certain people and businesses, we cannot expect them to fix these problems on their own.

The best way to make local property taxes fairer and more equitable is to make them less important. The federal government can do this by reinvesting in our cities, counties and school districts through a federal fiscal equity program, like those found in other advanced federated nations. Canada, Germany and Australia, among others, direct federal funds to lower units of government with lower capacities to raise revenue.

And what better way to pay for the program than to tap our wealthiest, who have benefited from our unjust taxation scheme for so long? President Biden is calling for a 25 percent tax on the incomes and annual increases in the values of the holdings of people claiming more than $100 million in assets, but we could accomplish far more by enacting a wealth tax on the 1 percent. Even a modest 4 percent wealth tax on people whose total assets exceed $50 million could generate upward of $400 billion in additional annual revenue, which should be more than enough to ensure that the needs of every city, county and public school system in America are met. By ensuring that localities have the resources they need, we can counteract the unequal outcomes and rank injustices that our current system generates.

Andrew W. Kahrl is a professor of history and African American studies at the University of Virginia and the author of “ The Black Tax : 150 Years of Theft, Exploitation, and Dispossession in America.”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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Writing the Constitution. After three hot summer months of equally heated debate, the delegates appointed a Committee of Detail to put its decisions in writing. Near the end of the convention, a Committee of Style and Arrangement kneaded it into its final form, condensing 23 articles into seven in less than four days. ...
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This part of the Constitution Annotated includes broad introductory essays covering historical background, providing authorization information, addressing ratification and overarching constitutional issues, and more. A few key introductory essays are summarized below: Historical Note on the Adoption of the Constitution.This essay 1 Footnote Intro.6.1 Continental Congress and Adoption of the ...
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These ideas protect the liberties of the people and their right to govern themselves. The Constitution contains words and principles that have the flexibility to respond to centuries of social, economic, and technological change. While the text of the Constitution has words that should be adhered to closely, they are hardly etched in marble.
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The links in the section below take you to the browse section for each constitutional provision's annotated essays. Individual essays can be accessed by clicking the serial numbers left of each essay title. Congressional Research Service, contributor. Constitution Annotated volumes, from 1938 to 2012.
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[Detail] First Draft of the Report of the Committee of Five of the Federal Convention Philadelphia: s.n., 1787. Library of Congress, Rare Book and Special Collections Division. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was called to revise the ailing Articles of Confederation. However, the Convention soon abandoned the Articles, drafting a new Constitution with a much stronger national government.
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Footnotes Jump to essay-1 See Stephen Gardbaum, The Myth and the Reality of American Constitutional Exceptionalism, 107 Mich. L. Rev. 391, 399 (2008) (Overall, the U.S. Constitution is exceptional among written constitutions both in its age and its brevity. It is the oldest currently in effect and . . . is among the shortest at 7591 words including amendments . . . .
Preamble, Articles, and Amendments
Footnotes Jump to essay-1 Certain provisions of the Constitution may not lend themselves to full essays on each provision. In such instances, the constitutional provision may contain a single Constitution Annotated essay that provides an overview, historical background, and the doctrine collapsed in one. Jump to essay-2 See Black's Law Dictionary 585 (10th ed. 2014) (defining doctrine ...
How to Write a Constitution: Outline, Structure, & Samples
1. Write the preamble. Begin your constitution with a preamble. The preamble should introduce the constitution in a few sentences. It should also state the reasons and purpose for which the group is being formed. [1] 2. Write the name of the group. After the preamble, write "Article 1: Name.".
Constitution Essay
The Preamble went on to enumerate the ends of constitutional government. Especially noteworthy was its emphasis on union and liberty, which begin and end its summary of the Constitution's goals.. Many have found in the Preamble a resonance with the principles of the Declaration of Independence and have seen it as providing a better sense of ...
The Constitution of the United States: [Essay Example], 613 words
The constitution sets strict laws and boundaries everyone has to obey. Stated in Document 1 it states that every state shall be forced to obey it regardless of the laws set in that particular state. Also stating that all people in the government office are bound by oath to support the constitution. The laws show the people how to act and our ...
U.S. Constitution Essay Topics
Why use Essays to Teach about the U.S. Constitution. Students often have a hard time engaging with a document that was written hundreds of years in the past. By allowing students the time and ...
Essay On Constitution Of India
100 Words Essay On Constitution of India. The Constitution of India is a legal document that outlines the political system's framework and the obligations, privileges, and restraints to which this country should adhere. The Indian Constitution came into force on this date in 1950. Although Dr. Ambedkar is renowned for his significant ...
Essay on Indian Constitution in 100, 250, and 350 words
Essay on Indian Constitution in 100, 250, and 350 words. The constitution of India was written and adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26th November 1949 but it became effective on 26th January 1950. It is a set of rules and regulations that guide the administration of the country. It is the backbone of every democratic and secular fabric of ...
42 Writing Prompts About The Constitution
Although it was written in the 18th century, the U.S. Constitution is the principle by which our country lives. This means that it is very important for students to read, learn about, and understand the Constitution and how it affects their lives—even in ways that they'd never realized. As you study American History and the Constitution, it ...
Full Text of the U.S. Constitution
Article V. The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of ...
The Federalist Papers
The Federalist Papers. Appearing in New York newspapers as the New York Ratification Convention met in Poughkeepsie, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison wrote as Publius and addressed the citizens of New York through the Federalist Papers. These essays subsequently circulated and were reprinted throughout the states as the ...
Essay: The Constitution, the First Amendment, and Religious Liberty
The Constitution, the First Amendment, and Religious Liberty. Directions: Read the essay and answer the critical thinking questions. Throughout world history, religious conflicts have been widespread and bloody. In contrast, Americans of various faiths have been able, with some exceptions, to live side by side in relative harmony.
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Essay for Students in English
Essay on Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. Dr B. R. Ambedkar is looked up to as a symbol of equality. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar played an important role in framing the constitution of our country. He outlawed the discrimination against lower castes or untouchables and wanted to establish equality among our countrymen. He said that he believed in a society where ...
State Sovereign Powers and Contracts
Footnotes Jump to essay-1 James W. Ely, Jr., The Contract Clause: A Constitutional History 4 (2016) ([Chief Justice] Taney both limited and strengthened the security of contractual obligations under the contract clause. On the other hand, . . . [the Taney Court] vigorously invoked the [Contract Clause] to safeguard the rights of parties under private agreements and to uphold clearly expressed ...
Property Taxes Drive Racism and Inequality
Property taxes, the lifeblood of local governments and school districts, are among the most powerful and stealthy engines of racism and wealth inequality our nation has ever produced. And while ...
Interpretation of the Public Debt Clause
Jump to essay-13 Id. Jump to essay-14 id. at 354 (ellipsis in original). Jump to essay-15 id. (We conclude that the Joint Resolution of June 5, 1933, in so far as it attempted to override the obligation created by the bond in suit, went beyond the congressional power.). Jump to essay-16 See id. at 358. Unlike the portions of Chief Justice ...
Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Relentless, Inc. v. Department
Footnotes Jump to essay-1 See generally Intro.7.2 Separation of Powers Under the Constitution. Jump to essay-2 467 U.S. 837 (1984). Jump to essay-3 Id. at 842-43. Jump to essay-4 Id.The Court further stated: [A] court may not substitute its own construction of a statutory provision for a reasonable interpretation made by the administrator of an agency.

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