US Government Articles I & II Quiz

Article I: Legislative Branch

• Establishes the bicameral legislative branch of the federal government, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
• Outlines the powers and responsibilities of Congress, including the power to make laws, declare war, and raise taxes.
• Defines the qualifications for representatives and senators, terms of office, and procedures for impeachment.
• Specifies the process for lawmaking. This involves a bill being introduced, debated, amended, and voted on in both chambers. A final vote and the president's approval are also required.
• The enumerated powers of Congress are listed in Article I, Section 8. These include the power to collect taxes, regulate commerce, declare war, and raise and support armies.

Article II: Executive Branch

• Creates the office of the President and Vice President, detailing the executive power of the federal government.
• Defines the qualifications for the presidency, outlining requirements like citizenship and age.
• Describes the terms of office and the procedures for electing the President and Vice President by the Electoral College.
• Outlines specific powers and duties of the President. These include the power to command the armed forces, negotiate treaties, and act as the head of state.
• Explains the process for presidential impeachment.

Article III: Judicial Branch

• Establishes the Supreme Court and inferior federal courts as outlined by Congress.
• Defines the jurisdiction of the federal courts, including their authority to hear cases involving federal laws and disputes between states.
• Guarantees the right to trial by jury for federal crimes.
• Determines that acts of Congress and treaties made under the authority of the US are the supreme law of the land. It establishes judicial review.

Article IV: Relations Among the States

• Defines the relationship between the states and the federal government, ensuring that states honor laws and court decisions of other states.
• Guarantees "full faith and credit" for public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state.
• Outlines the ways in which new states can be admitted to the union, ensuring these states are admitted with the same rights as other states.
• Protects the citizens of one state from persecution in a different state.
• Describes how the federal government will handle disputes between states.

Article V: Amendment Process

• Provides a way for the Constitution to be amended, modified, or changed over time.
• Describes the procedures for proposing and ratifying amendments, safeguarding the flexibility and adaptability of the Constitution.
• Contains two methods for proposing amendments. One method requires a vote in Congress, the other by a national convention called by Congress.

Article VI: Supremacy Clause

• Establishes the Constitution as the supreme law of the land.
• Federal laws and treaties made under the authority of the Constitution are superior to any state laws.
• Ensures that all public officials must swear an oath to support the Constitution. This clause affirms the authority of the national government.

Article VII: Ratification

• States the process for ratifying the Constitution.
• Describes how the Constitution would become effective and be implemented.
• Outlined the needed number of states’ ratifications for the constitution to go into effect.