U.S. Constitution: Articles and Amendments

• The U.S. Constitution is structured with seven articles, each defining different aspects of government.

Structure of the Constitution

• Article I establishes a bicameral Congress (House of Representatives & Senate) with legislative powers
• Article II grants executive power to the President
• Article III establishes the judicial branch, including the Supreme Court and other federal courts
• Article IV protects citizen rights and outlines conditions for admitting new states
• Article V defines the amendment process for the Constitution
• Article VI declares the Constitution and laws made under it as the supreme law of the land
• Article VII specifies that 9 out of 13 states needed to ratify the Constitution for it to take effect
• In 1791, the Bill of Rights (first 10 amendments) was added. Since then, 17 more amendments have been included

Endurance and Flexibility

• The Constitution has lasted over 230 years without being rewritten
• It balances limiting government power while remaining adaptable to changing times
• Public acceptance and reverence for the Constitution have contributed to its longevity
• The Constitution has become a symbol of unity and loyalty for Americans over time
• People interpret it in different ways, shaping political and social values
• A 2022 national survey found that 56% of Americans could name all three branches of government, a 30% increase from 2016

Constitution as Law

• The constitution is a binding law that grants and limits government powers
• James Madison believed government was needed due to imperfect people, requiring checks and balances
• The Constitution ensures limited authority through internal checks (branches checking each other) and external checks (elections, petitions, protests, amendments)

Checks on Government Power

• The Framers designed the Constitution to limit government power while still allowing it to function effectively
• This is achieved through separation of powers, checks and balances, and free and fair elections
• The Framers feared that a majority could overpower minorities’ rights
• Courts and laws struggle to balance public opinion vs. constitutional rights, illustrated by the gun control debate
• Madison believed that dependence on the people is the primary control on government, but "auxiliary precautions" are also necessary

Separation of Powers

• The first protection against tyranny was separating power among three branches
• Accumulation of legislative, executive, and judicial power in one person/group = tyranny.
• The concept was influenced by John Locke & Montesquieu

Checks and Balances

• Each branch has the power to check the other two
• Executive branch (President) has veto power (used ~2,600 times, with Congress overriding 112 times).
• Legislative branch (House & Senate): The House has impeached three presidents (Trump twice), one senator, and 15 judges / The Senate has convicted 8 judges but no presidents / The Senate blocked 9 cabinet nominations
• Judicial branch (Supreme Court) has overturned 180+ congressional acts as unconstitutional

Political Independence & Elections

• Voters elect House members and state voters elect Senators
• The Electoral College elects the President
• Federal judges serve for life (unless impeached)

Government Stability and Change

• The Framers ensured voters only control part of the government at a time
• The Constitution limits rapid change by requiring consensus among different groups before major reforms happen

Why The Constitution is Hard To Change

• The Framers deliberately made changing the system difficult to prevent rash decisions
• Separation of powers was designed not for efficiency, but to prevent arbitrary power
• Even though political power is fragmented, the checks and balances system still works in modern governance

National Political Parties and Interest Groups

• Political parties (mainly Republican & Democratic) unify different government branches but also compete for power
• Special interest groups have increasing influence, reducing the dominance of political parties

Partisanship and Divided Government

• Partisan conflicts increase when one party controls Congress and the other controls the White House
• Divided government results in battles over budgets, judicial appointments, and executive actions and can make it hard for voters to assign blame or credit to any party
• Similar amounts of legislation get passed whether government is divided or unified
• Divided government happens when midterm elections shift Congress away from the President’s party.

Expansion of the Electorate

• The Electoral College was designed as a buffer against direct popular vote influence
• In practice, voters pick electors, who pledge to vote for their party’s candidate
• There are rare cases of "faithless electors" who do not vote as pledged
• Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but lost in Electoral College in 2016
• Al Gore won popular vote but lost to George W. Bush in 2000

Changes in Technology

• Modern innovations create new political dynamics and instant polls make public opinion more volatile and responsive
• John Oliver’s show led to 80,000+ FCC comments in a week during 2015 Net Neutrality Debate
• Presidents now directly connect with people instead of relying on traditional media
• Wealthy individuals & interest groups bypass political parties using online platforms

Growth of Presidential Power

• Global crises expand presidential power
• Presidents act as major world leaders, with media attention boosting their influence
• Presidents use emergency situations to justify expanded executive power
• Obama administration argued executive power was needed for defense, similar to Bush’s stance on wiretapping without court approval

Explore the structure and enduring nature of the U.S. Constitution. Learn about the seven articles that define the different aspects of government and the amendment process. Understand how the Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments have shaped the Constitution.