From: [a--y] at [otto.bf.rmit.oz.au] (Andrew Fuchs)
Newsgroups: alt.politics.usa.constitution,talk.politics.misc
Subject: Re: US constitution & ammendments
Date: 1 Nov 93 07:48:43 GMT

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The preamble implies that all power comes from
the people:
=========================================================

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more 
perfect Union, establish justice, insure [sic] domestic 
tranquility, provide for the common defense, 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.


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The articles of the constitution basically define the
mechanism of the US's operation:
=========================================================

Article I establishes the legislature

Article II establishes the executive

Article III establishes the judiciary

Article IV, mainly lifted from the previous Articles of
Confederation, establishes the relationships between the
states and territories

Article V provides a mechanism for amending the Constitution

Article VI holds the newly constituted USA to its national
debt before the Constitution's drafting, and establishes
the supremacy of national law over state law, if the two
conflict. This is how (I'm no lawyer, but I think this is
right) a state law can be thrown out as unconstitutional
even though the two bodies of law are basically separate.
In fact, most law in the US is state law.

Article VII allows for the ratification of the Constitution.



The Constitution was ratified in 1788-1789




=========================================================
The first 10 amendments to the Constitution are known as
the Bill of Rights (Dec 1791):
=========================================================

Amendment 1
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 2
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 3
[ Can't quarter soldiers in somebody's house without consent ]

Amendment 4
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, supported by oath or affirm-
ation, and particularly describing the place to be searched,
and the persons or things to be seized.

Amendment 5
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or other-
wise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment
of a grand jury, [ except in the military during war ];
[ nor tried twice for the same crime ]; nor shall be com-
pelled 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 6
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the
right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury
of the State and district wherein the crime shall have
been committed, which district shall have been previously
ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and
cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnes-
ses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining
witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of coun-
sel for his defense.

Amendment 7
[ Right of jury in lawsuits over $20 ]

Amendment 8
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines
imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Amendment 9
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights,
shall not be construed to deny or disparage others re-
tained by the people.

Amendment 10
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Con-
stitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved
to the States respectively, or to the people.


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Then there are a bunch of other amendments (15 I think),
some of the notable ones being:
=========================================================

Amendment 13 (Dec 1865) outlawed slavery

Amendment 14 (Jul 1866) made former slaves citizens. 
It also reiterates some of the Bill of Rights.

Amendment 15  (Mar 1870) essentially  gave black men the 
vote (though many states still tried trickery for years to 
get around this)

Amendment 18 (Jan 1919) prohibited alcohol

Amendment 19 (Aug 1920) gave women the vote after 40 years
of amendments being introduced and defeated

Amendment 21 (Dec 1933) repealed prohibition

=========================================================



I hope this has been informative. You could probably just
have looked it up in an encyclopaedia, but then I wouldn't
have got this civics review. Thanks!

andy
[a--y] at [otto.bf.rmit.edu.au]