U.S. Government and Civics / Unit 2: The Constitution
2.3 Structure of the Constitution
Notes
The Constitution has a Preamble, seven articles and 27 amendments.
| Article | Subject |
|---|---|
| I | Legislative branch (Congress) |
| II | Executive branch (president) |
| III | Judicial branch (courts) |
| IV | Relations among the states |
| V | Amendment process |
| VI | Supremacy of the Constitution and federal law; national debts; no religious test for office |
| VII | Ratification |
- The Preamble begins "We the People," showing that power comes from the people.
- Article I is the longest, listing Congress's powers in Section 8.
- Article VI contains the supremacy clause.
Practice
A student wants to read about the powers of the president. Which article should she read?
Article II describes the executive branch.
The rule that states must honor each other's public records, such as marriage licenses, is found in:
Article IV covers relations among the states, including full faith and credit.
The opening words "We the People" express which principle?
Popular sovereignty means government's authority comes from the people.
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