Alec Graham

8-4-13
Part A:
Article I
The first article of the Constitution deals with legislative power and where it is situated in the
government, along with what defines this power. In simpler terms, this is the article that defines the
powers and limits of the Legislative Branch of the United States. The power of the law belongs to the
Congress of the United States of America and, according to the first section of Article I, this entity is
bicameral. It consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. These two houses work together to
fulfill all duties clearly stated and implied by the Constitution, such as proposing and amending bills and
amendments, declaring war, or collecting taxes. In Sections 2 and 3 of Article I, the House of
Representatives and Senates minimum requirements, election frequency, and the impeachment process
are laid out. The minimum requirements include requisites such as minimum age (25 years old for
representatives and 30 years old for senators) and minimum years of citizenship to be a senator or
representative (9 and 7 years of citizenship respectively). In Section 4, it explains that each state may
have its own method of election and Congress is mandated to meet once a year. Section 5 sets the bare
minimum members for an official meeting and lets Congress fine and/or expel any absent members along
with the requirement of keeping a journal of proceedings and votes and that neither house may adjourn
without consent from the other. Later, in Section 7, the process of how bills become law is detailed. This
is arguably one of the most important sections of Article I, as it details the process weve used for years to
create laws past the Constitution. Sections 8 and 9 detail Congress powers and limits, respectively.
Congress may establish Post Offices and Post Roads, collect taxes, and provide and maintain a Navy; but
they may not pass a law showing preference over one state to another, establish a title of nobility, or
suspend habeas corpus. Finally, Section 10 limits the states powers. They may not make their own
money, declare war, or do anything stated in Section 9 that Congress cannot do.
Article II

Article II deals with the Executive Branch, or the President, Vice-President, Cabinet, and
Departments under the Cabinet and how they carry out the laws passed by Congress. Section 1 describes
what happens during the election process and the requirements to run for President. It establishes the four
year Presidential term; the Electoral College, which gives each state one vote for each member they have
in Congress; and the minimum requirements you must meet to run for President. These include the
guidelines that the President must be a natural born citizen and at least 35 years old. In Section 2, the
President is granted some key powers. He plays the role of commander in chief of the armed forces and
militia of all states, he may have a Cabinet to assist him, can pardon criminals, makes treaties with other
nations, and picks many members of the government with the Senates approval. Section 3 forms the
Presidents duties. This includes giving the State of The Union Address, making suggestions to Congress,
to act as head of state, and to be sure laws are carried out. Finally, Section 4 discusses the basic
technicalities of impeachment.
Article III
Article III defines judicial power and the way the Supreme Court may use it. There is only one
Supreme Court in the United States and they hold the judicial power of the country in their hands, as they
are in a sense, the judicial branch. This section of the Constitution details the way the Supreme Court
runs, such as original jurisdiction only on cases for ambassadors, public ministers, and consuls and all
cases having trial by jury minus impeachment cases along with the non-negotiable definition of treason..
Article IV
Article IV defines the states powers and why they can make and carry out laws. States may make
and carry out laws related to the people and the problem of their area in order to solve issues that may
only occur in their area, therefore not requiring a national law. Section 1 provides that all states will
respect laws of other states. This ensures that crimes are punishable in multiple states, marriages are valid
in multiple states, so on and so forth. Section 2 guarantees equality of all people in different states and if
someone flees a state after committing a crime, they will be returned to the state the crime was committed
in. In Section 3, the process of admitting states is discussed and Section 4 ensures a Republican

(representative democracy) form of government and that the federal government will protect the states
from invasion.
Article V
Article V describes the process of amending the Constitution. The first method is by a two-thirds
vote in both houses and then it is sent out to the states. This is the path taken by all current amendments.
The second method detailed is for a Constitutional Convention to be called by two-thirds of Congress,
and for that Convention to propose one or more amendments.
Article VI
Article VI effects the United States itself. It guarantees that any previous debt or contract entered
by the United States under the Articles of Confederation will not default under the Constitution, sets the
Constitution and all other laws of the United States as the supreme law of the land, and requires people
holding office to swear an oath of allegiance to the United States and the Constitution.
Article VII
Article VII details the process of ratification of the Constitution. Of the thirteen original colonies,
nine had to accept the Constitution. In the end, twelve out of the thirteen colonies accepted and the
Constitution was ratified.
Part B:
Even though the Constitution was written to establish a democratic system for the government of
the United States, is the Constitution as democratic as we think? It truly depends on your point of view.
One of the clear democratic principles in the Constitution is the Separation of Powers. This gives our
three different branches of government (Judicial, Legislative, and Executive) checks and balances to
make sure that one single branch does not become all-powerful. For example, the Executive Branch may
veto a law proposed by the Legislative Branch. However, if the bill receives a two-thirds vote from both
houses of the Legislative Branch when it is sent back, it will override the veto and become law. At this
point, the Judicial Branch may declare a law unconstitutional and the bill is dumped. We are then back to
the beginning. But what about the way we elect the leader of the Executive Branch, the President? The

Electoral College makes everything not what it seems in the voting booth. Using this undemocratic
system allows the popular vote only to apply in each state. After that, all of that states votes go to the
winner of the popular vote in their individual states. This means that if you voted with the minoritys side
in your state, your opinion and vote is moot. In a democratic system of government, the power is given to
the people and it takes not only power away from the people, but voice as well.
The Constitution was written with the concept of the equality of the three Branches of
Government in mind. Even though this is attempted, some will argue that one branch is given more power
than the other two. In my opinion, that would be the Legislative Branch. First, they have the power to
propose and make laws. With a two-thirds vote, the bill is sent to the President for approval at which point
he may veto it. However, once again with a two-thirds vote, Congress may override the Presidents veto
and the bill may pass as law. Next, they have broad taxing and spending power. Congress may pass bills
to tax the citizens of the country. Also, when Congress sees fit, they may borrow money on the credit of
the United States. In a sense, they have the power to control the economy. Finally, Congress may impeach
federal executives and judicial officers for their wrongdoing. Should a politician commit a high crime or
misdemeanour, they may be removed from office by the process of impeachment, in which a trial is held
regarding the future status of said politician. All in all, these powers, given by the Constitution, make the
Legislative Branch the most powerful branch of the United States Government.