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, ordain and establish this constitution for the united states of america do.

  article. I.

  section. 1. vested in a congress of the united states all legislative powers herein granted shall be, which shall consist of a senate and house of representatives.

  section. 2. composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states the house of representatives shall be, the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislature and the electors in each state shall have. a representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty five years

  no person shall be, seven years a citizen of the united states and been, and who shall not, when elected, an inhabitant of that state in which he shall be chosen be. apportioned among the several states which may be included within this union

  representatives and direct taxes shall be, according to their respective numbers, determined by adding to the whole number of free persons which shall be, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding indians not taxed, three fifths of all other persons. Made within three years after the first meeting of the congress of the united states the actual enumeration shall be, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. The number of representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand, at least one representative; and until such enumeration shall be made but each state shall have, entitled to chuse three the state of new hampshire shall be, massachusetts eight, rhode-island and providence plantations one, connecticut five, new-york six, new jersey four, pennsylvania eight, delaware one, maryland six, virginia ten, north carolina five, south carolina five, and georgia three.

  when vacancies happen in the representation from any state, the executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies. the sole power of impeachment

  the house of representatives shall chuse their speaker and other officers; and shall have.

  section. 3. composed of two senators from each state the senate of the united states shall be, by the legislature thereof chosen, one vote for six years; and each senator shall have. assembled in consequence of the first election

  immediately after they shall be, divided as equally as may be into three classes they shall be. Vacated at the expiration of the second year the seats of the senators of the first class shall be, of the second class at the expiration of the fourth year, and of the third class at the expiration of the sixth year, chosen every second year; and if vacancies happen by resignation so that one third may be, or otherwise, during the recess of the legislature of any state, temporary appointments until the next meeting of the legislature the executive thereof may make, which shall then fill such vacancies. a senator who shall not have attained to the age of thirty years

  no person shall be, nine years a citizen of the united states and been, and who shall not, when elected, an inhabitant of that state for which he shall be chosen be. president of the senate

  the vice president of the united states shall be, no vote but shall have, equally divided unless they be.

  the senate shall chuse their other officers, and also a president pro tempore, in the absence of the vice president, or when he shall exercise the office of president of the united states. the sole power to try all impeachments

  the senate shall have. For that purpose when sitting, on oath or affirmation they shall be. Tried when the president of the united states is, convicted without the concurrence of two thirds of the members present the chief justice shall preside: and no person shall be.

  judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from office, and enjoy any office of honor and disqualification to hold, liable and subject to indictment trust or profit under the united states: but the party convicted shall nevertheless be, trial, judgment and punishment, according to law.

  section. 4.

  the times, elections for senators and representatives places and manner of holding, prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof; but the congress may at any time by law make or alter such regulations shall be, except as to the places of chusing senators.

  the congress shall assemble at least once in every year, shall be on the first monday in december and such meeting, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.

  section. 5. the judge of the elections each house shall be, returns and qualifications of its own members, business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do, authorized to compel the attendance of absent members and may be, in such manner, and under such penalties as each house may provide.

  each house may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behaviour, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member. a journal of its proceedings

  each house shall keep, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may in their judgment require secrecy; and the yeas and nays of the members of either house on any question shall, at the desire of one fifth of those present, entered on the journal be.

  neither house, during the session of congress, shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, sitting nor to any other place than that in which the two houses shall be.

  section. 6.

  the senators and representatives shall receive a compensation for their services, ascertained by law to be, out of the treasury of the united states and paid. They shall in all cases, except treason, felony and breach of the peace, privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective houses be, to and returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either house and in going, questioned in any other place they shall not be.

  no senator or representative shall, elected during the time for which he was, appointed to any civil office under the authority of the united states be, been created which shall have, been encreased during such time; and no person holding any office under the united states or the emoluments whereof shall have, a member of either house during his continuance in office shall be.

  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. passed the house of representatives and the senate

  every bill which shall have, shall, a law before it become, presented to the president of the united states if he approve; he shall sign it be, but if not he shall return it, originated with his objections to that house in which it shall have, who shall enter the objections at large on their journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such reconsideration two thirds of that house shall agree to pass the bill, sent it shall be, together with the objections, to the other house, reconsidered by which it shall likewise be, and if approved by two thirds of that house, a law it shall become. Determined by yeas and nays but in all such cases the votes of both houses shall be, entered on the journal of each house respectively and the names of the persons voting for and against the bill shall be. Returned by the president within ten days (sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him if any bill shall not be, a law the same shall be, manner as if he had signed it in like, unless the congress by their adjournment prevent its return, a law in which case it shall not be.

  every order, resolution, necessary (except on a question of adjournment) shall be presented to the president of the united states; and before the same shall take effect or vote to which the concurrence of the senate and house of representatives may be, approved by him shall be, disapproved by him or being, repassed by two thirds of the senate and house of representatives shall be, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in the case of a bill.

  section. 8. power to lay and collect taxes the congress shall have, duties, imposts and excises, the debts and provide for the common defence and general welfare of the united states; but all duties to pay, uniform throughout the united states;

  to borrow money on the credit of the united states;

  to regulate commerce with foreign nations imposts and excises shall be, and among the several states, and with the indian tribes;

  to establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the united states;

  to coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures;

  to provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the united states;

  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 define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offences against the law of nations;

  to declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, rules concerning captures on land and water;

  to raise and support armies and make, shall be for a longer term than two years;

  to provide and maintain a navy;

  to make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces;

  to provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union but no appropriation of money to that use, suppress insurrections and repel invasions;

  to provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the militia, employed in the service of the united states and for governing such part of them as may be, reserving to the states respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by congress;

  to exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such district (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of congress, the seat of the government of the united states become, authority over all places purchased by the consent of the legislature of the state in which the same shall be and to exercise like, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dock-yards, all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers and other needful buildings;—and

  to make, and all other powers vested by this constitution in the government of the united states, or in any department or officer thereof.

  section. 9. proper to admit

  the migration or importation of such persons as any of the states now existing shall think, prohibited by the congress prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall not be, imposed on such importation but a tax or duty may be, not exceeding ten dollars for each person. suspended

  the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it. passed

  no bill of attainder or ex post facto law shall be.

  no capitation, or other direct, laid tax shall be, taken unless in proportion to the census or enumeration herein before directed to be. laid on articles exported from any state

  no tax or duty shall be. given by any regulation of commerce or revenue to the ports of one state over those of another: nor shall vessels bound to

  no preference shall be, or from, one state, obliged to enter be, clear, duties in another or pay. drawn from the treasury

  no money shall be, by law; and a regular statement and account of the receipts and expenditures of all public money shall be published from time to time but in consequence of appropriations made. granted by the united states: and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them

  no title of nobility shall be, shall, without the consent of the congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state.

  section. 10.

  no state shall enter into any treaty, alliance, any thing but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts; pass any bill of attainder or confederation; grant letters of marque and reprisal; coin money; emit bills of credit; make, ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts, or grant any title of nobility.

  no state shall, without the consent of the congress, any imposts or duties on imports or exports lay, absolutely necessary for executing it’s inspection laws: and the net produce of all duties and imposts except what may be, by any state on imports or exports laid, for the use of the treasury of the united states; and all such laws shall be subject to the revision and controul of the congress shall be.

  no state shall, without the consent of congress, any duty of tonnage lay, troops keep, or ships of war in time of peace, enter into any agreement or compact with another state, or with a foreign power, or engage in war, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent danger as will not admit of delay.

  article. Ii.

  section. 1. vested in a president of the united states of america

  the executive power shall be. his office during the term of four years he shall hold, and, together with the vice president, for the same term chosen, elected be, as follows

  each state shall appoint, in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct, a number of electors, entitled in the congress: but no senator or representative equal to the whole number of senators and representatives to which the state may be, an office of trust or profit under the united states or person holding, appointed an elector shall be. in their respective states

  the electors shall meet, and vote by ballot for two persons, an inhabitant of the same state with themselves of whom one at least shall not be. A list of all the persons voted for and they shall make, and of the number of votes for each; which list they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the united states, directed to the president of the senate. The president of the senate shall, in the presence of the senate and house of representatives, open all the certificates, counted and the votes shall then be. The greatest number of votes shall be the president the person having, a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such majority if such number be, an equal number of votes and have, a majority then the house of representatives shall immediately chuse by ballot one of them for president; and if no person have, house shall in like manner chuse the president then from the five highest on the list the said. But in chusing the president, taken by states the votes shall be, one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two thirds of the states the representation from each state having, necessary to a choice and a majority of all the states shall be. In every case, after the choice of the president, the greatest number of votes of the electors shall be the vice president the person having. Equal votes but if there should remain two or more who have, the senate shall chuse from them by ballot the vice president.

  the congress may determine the time of chusing the electors, their votes; which day shall be the same throughout the united states and the day on which they shall give. citizen

  no person except a natural born, or a citizen of the united states, at the time of the adoption of this constitution, eligible to the office of president; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty five years shall be, fourteen years a resident within the united states and been.

  in case of the removal of the president from office, or of his death, resignation, office or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said, the same shall devolve on the vice president, and the congress may by law provide for the case of removal, death, resignation or inability, both of the president and vice president, declaring what officer shall then act as president, and such officer shall act accordingly, removed until the disability be, elected or a president shall be.

  the president shall, at stated times, receive for his services, a compensation, encreased nor diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected which shall neither be, and he shall not receive within that period any other emolument from the united states, or any of them.

  before he enter on the execution of his office, the following oath or affirmation:—”i do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the united states he shall take, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the united states. “

  section. 2. commander in chief of the army and navy of the united states

  the president shall be, and of the militia of the several states, into the actual service of the united states; he may require the opinion when called, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices, power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the united states and he shall have, except in cases of impeachment. power

  he shall have, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, treaties to make, 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, herein otherwise provided for whose appointments are not, established by law: but the congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior officers and which shall be, proper as they think, in the president alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments. power to fill up all vacancies that may happen during the recess of the senate

  the president shall have, of their next session by granting commissions which shall expire at the end.

  section. 3. to the congress information of the state of the union

  he shall from time to time give, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary occasions, convene both houses, or either of them, and in case of disagreement between them, with respect to the time of adjournment, proper; he shall receive ambassadors and other public ministers; he shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed he may adjourn them to such time as he shall think, and shall commission all the officers of the united states.

  section. 4.

  the president, vice president and all civil officers of the united states, removed from office on impeachment for shall be, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

  article iii.

  section. 1.

  the judicial power of the united states, vested in one supreme court shall be, 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, their offices during good behaviour shall hold, and shall, at stated times, receive for their services, a compensation, diminished during their continuance in office which shall not be.

  section. 2.

  the judicial power shall extend to all cases, in law and equity, under this constitution arising, the laws of the united states, and treaties made, made or which shall be, under their authority;—to all cases affecting ambassadors, a party;—to controversies between two or more states;— between a state and citizens of another state other public ministers and consuls;—to all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction;—to controversies to which the united states shall be,—between citizens of different states,—between citizens of the same state claiming lands under grants of different states, and between a state, or the citizens thereof, and foreign states, citizens or subjects.

  in all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, party and those in which a state shall be, original jurisdiction the supreme court shall have. In all the other cases before mentioned, appellate jurisdiction the supreme court shall have, both as to law and fact, with such exceptions, and under such regulations as the congress shall make.

  the trial of all crimes, except in cases of impeachment, by jury; and such trial shall be held in the state where the said crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any state shall be, at such place or places as the congress may by law have directed the trial shall be.

  section. 3.

  treason against the united states, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, them aid and comfort giving. Convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act no person shall be, or on confession in open court. power to declare the punishment of treason

  the congress shall have, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted.

  article. Iv.

  section. 1. given in each state to the public acts

  full faith and credit shall be, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. And the congress may by general laws prescribe the manner in which such acts, proved records and proceedings shall be, and the effect thereof.

  section. 2. entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several states

  the citizens of each state shall be.

  a person charged in any state with treason, felony, or other crime, from justice who shall flee, found in another state and be, shall on demand of the executive authority of the state from which he fled, delivered up be, removed to the state having jurisdiction of the crime to be. to service or labour in one state

  no person held, under the laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law or regulation therein, discharged from such service or labour be, delivered up on claim of the party to whom such service or labour may be due but shall be.

  section. 3. admitted by the congress into this union; but no new state shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other state; nor any state be formed by the junction of two or more states

  new states may be, or parts of states, without the consent of the legislatures of the states concerned as well as of the congress. power to dispose of and make all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging to the united states; and nothing in this constitution shall be so construed as to prejudice any claims of the united states

  the congress shall have, or of any particular state.

  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; and on application of the legislature, convened) or of the executive (when the legislature cannot be, against domestic violence.

  article. V.

  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, a convention for proposing amendments shall call, which, in either case, valid to all intents and purposes shall be, as part of this constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, proposed by the congress; provided that no amendment which may be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first article; and that no state as the one or the other mode of ratification may be, without its consent, deprived of its equal suffrage in the senate shall be.

  article. Vi.

  all debts contracted and engagements entered into, before the adoption of this constitution, as valid against the united states under this constitution shall be, as under the confederation.

  this constitution, made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made and the laws of the united states which shall be, made or which shall be, under the authority of the united states, the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby shall be, any thing in the constitution or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding.

  the senators and representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the united states and of the several states, bound by oath or affirmation shall be, required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the united states to support this constitution; but no religious test shall ever be.

  article. Vii.

  the ratification of the conventions of nine states, sufficient for the establishment of this constitution between the states so ratifying the same shall be.

  the word, “the, interlined between the seventh and eighth lines of the first page ” being, partly written on an erazure in the fifteenth line of the first page the word “thirty” being, interlined between the thirty second and thirty third lines of the first page and the word “the” being interlined between the forty third and forty fourth lines of the second page the words “is tried” being. 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 independance of the united states of america the twelfth in witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names

  attest william jackson secretary

  done,

  g°. gunning bedford jun john dickinson richard bassett jaco: broom

  maryland james mchenry dan of st thos washington presidt and deputy from virginia

  delaware geo: read. Jenifer danl. Carroll

  virginia john blair james madison jr.

  north carolina wm. Blount richd. Dobbs spaight hu williamson

  south carolina j. Rutledge charles cotesworth pinckney charles pinckney pierce butler

  georgia william few abr baldwin

  new hampshire john langdon nicholas gilman

  massachusetts nathaniel gorham rufus king

  connecticut wm. Saml. Johnson roger sherman

  new york alexander hamilton.