The Constitution of the United States

Preamble

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.

Article I — The Legislative Branch

Section 1. 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 shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, and each State shall have at Least one Representative. The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.

Section 3. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected for six years; and each Senator shall have one Vote. 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 have the sole Power to try all Impeachments.

Section 4. 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. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year.

Section 5. 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.

Section 6. Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law. 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.

Section 7. 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.

Section 8. 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; to borrow Money on the credit of the United States; to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States; to establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization; to coin Money; 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 declare War; to raise and support Armies; to provide and maintain a Navy; to provide for calling forth the Militia; and to make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers.

Section 9. 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 Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States.

Section 10. No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; or pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts.

Article II — The Executive Branch

Section 1. 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.

Section 2. The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States. 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.

Section 3. 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.

Section 4. 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 Branch

Section 1. 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.

Section 2. 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.

Section 3. 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.

Article IV — States, Citizenship, New States

Section 1. Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State.

Section 2. The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.

Section 3. New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union.

Section 4. The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion.

Article V — Amendment Process

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.

Article VI — Federal Power

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.

Article VII — Ratification

The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same. Done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth.

The Bill of Rights & Later Amendments

Amendment I — 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.

Amendment II — 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.

Amendment III — 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.

Amendment IV — 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.

Amendment V — No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury; 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.

Amendment VI — In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Amendment VII — In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved.

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

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

Amendment X — 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.

Amendment XI (1795) — Limits federal judicial power over suits against a State by citizens of another State or foreign nation.

Amendment XII (1804) — Revises the procedure for electing the President and Vice President via the Electoral College.

Amendment XIII (1865) — 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.

Amendment XIV (1868) — All persons born or naturalized in the United States are citizens; no State shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law, nor deny any person the equal protection of the laws.

Amendment XV (1870) — The right of citizens to vote shall not be denied or abridged on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Amendment XVI (1913) — Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States.

Amendment XVII (1913) — The Senate shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof.

Amendment XVIII (1919, repealed 1933) — Prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors.

Amendment XIX (1920) — The right of citizens to vote shall not be denied or abridged on account of sex.

Amendment XX (1933) — Sets the terms of the President, Vice President, and Congress, and fixes January 20 and January 3 as the beginning of those terms.

Amendment XXI (1933) — Repeals the Eighteenth Amendment.

Amendment XXII (1951) — No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.

Amendment XXIII (1961) — Grants the District of Columbia electors in the Electoral College.

Amendment XXIV (1964) — The right of citizens to vote shall not be denied by reason of failure to pay any poll tax.

Amendment XXV (1967) — Addresses succession to the Presidency and establishes procedures for Presidential disability and Vice Presidential vacancy.

Amendment XXVI (1971) — The right of citizens who are eighteen years of age or older to vote shall not be denied or abridged on account of age.

Amendment XXVII (1992) — No law varying the compensation for the services of Senators and Representatives shall take effect until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.

Presented as a condensed, plain-reading reference to the Constitution’s structure and all 27 Amendments. Public domain — free to read, copy, and share. For citation-grade research, cross-check against the National Archives’ official engrossed transcript.