U.S. Constitution

Article 1, Section 10 - No State Shall Enter Into Any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation...

Short Version -- This is a summary of the important issues covered in this section of the U.S. Constitution. 

  • The states are expressly forbidden to enter into any treaty or alliance
  • The states are expressly forbidden to grant letters of marquee
  • The states are expressly forbidden to coin money
  • The states are expressly forbidden to give out bills of credit
  • The states are expressly forbidden to pass any bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing contractual obligations
  • The states are expressly forbidden to grant titles of nobility
  • Without the consent of Congress, states cannot place duties on imports or exports except for small inspection fees
  • Without the consent of Congress, states cannot keep troops or ships of war in peacetime
  • Without the consent of Congress, states cannot make treaties
  • Without the consent of Congress, states cannot make war unless invaded

Long Version -- This is the text of the Actual U.S. Constitution. 

No state shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or confederation; grant letters of marque and reprisal; coin money; emit bills of credit; make anything but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts; pass any bill of attainder, 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, lay any imposts or duties on imports or exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing its inspection laws: and the net produce of all duties and imposts, laid by any state on imports or exports, shall be for the use of the treasury of the United States; and all such laws shall be subject to the revision and control of the Congress. 

No state shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any duty of tonnage, keep troops, 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 2, SECTION 1 - THE EXECUTIVE POWER SHALL BE VESTED IN A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...

Short Version -- This is a summary of the important issues covered in this section of the U.S. Constitution. 

  • The President is the chief executive officer.
  • The President serves for a term of four years.
  • The Vice President serves a four-year term.
  • Each state appoints electors equal in number to the state's senators and representatives.
  • Electors from each state vote for President and Vice President.
  • In the event of a tie vote or failure of one person to win a majority for President and Vice President, the election is decided by the House of Representatives.
  • The Congress determines the time of choosing electors.
  • Candidates for President must be natural-born citizens
  • Candidates for President must be 35 years of age
  • Candidates for President must be 14-year residents of the U.S.
  • If the President is removed from office, dies, resigns, or falls ill, the Vice President will take up his duties.
  • The President receives a salary, which remains the same during his term of office.
  • The newly elected President takes the Oath of Office.  

          Notes: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Long Version -- This is the text of the Actual U.S. Constitution. 

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: but no Senator or Representative, or person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States, shall be appointed an elector. 

The electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves. And they shall make a list of all the persons voted for, 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, and the votes shall then be counted. The person having the greatest number of votes shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such majority, and have an equal number of votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately choose by ballot one of them for President; and if no person have a majority, then from the five highest on the list the said House shall in like manner choose the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by States, the representation from each state having one vote; A quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. In every case, after the choice of the President, the person having the greatest number of votes of the electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal votes, the Senate shall choose from them by ballot the Vice President. 

The Congress may determine the time of choosing the electors, and the day on which they shall give their votes; which day shall be the same throughout the United States. 

No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be 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, and been fourteen Years a resident within the United States. 

In case of the removal of the President from office, or of his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said office, 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, until the disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.

The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services, a compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected, 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, he shall take the following oath or affirmation:--"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Article 2, Section 2 - The President Shall Be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States...

Short Version -- This is a summary of the important issues covered in this section of the U.S. Constitution. 

  • The President is commander in chief of the Army, Navy, and militia.
  • The President has the power to grant reprieves and pardons.
  • The President has the power to make treaties with the consent of two-thirds of the Senate.
  • With the Senate's consent, the President appoints ambassadors, Supreme Court judges, and other federal officers.
  • When the Senate is not in session, the President can make temporary appointments to offices requiring Senate confirmation.

Long Version -- This is the text of the Actual U.S. Constitution. 

The President shall be commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states, when called into the actual service of the United States; he may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices, and he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.

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, whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law: but the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments.

The President shall have power to fill up all vacancies that may happen during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions which shall expire at the end of their next session.

ARTICLE 2, SECTION 3 - HE SHALL FROM TIME TO TIME GIVE TO THE CONGRESS INFORMATION OF THE STATE OF THE UNION...

Short Version -- This is a summary of the important issues covered in this section of the U.S. Constitution. 

  • The President reports to Congress on the state of the Union.
  • The President receives ambassadors.
  • The President makes sure that the laws are carried out.

Long Version -- This is the text of the Actual U.S. Constitution. 

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; 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, he may adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper; he shall receive ambassadors and other public ministers; he shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed, and shall commission all the officers of the United States.

ARTICLE 2, SECTION 4 - THE PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT AND ALL CIVIL OFFICERS OF THE UNITED STATES...

Short Version -- This is a summary of the important issues covered in this section of the U.S. Constitution. 

  • The President, Vice President, and other federal officials are to be impeached and removed from office for treason, bribery, and other serious crimes.

Long Version -- This is the text of the Actual U.S. Constitution. 

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.