THE
CONSTITUTION
of the United States
NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER
,We the People of the United States, in Order to form a within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress
more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of
Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The
the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every
ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one
Constitution for the United States of America Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made,
the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse
three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and Providence
Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York six, New
Article. I. Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland
six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five,
and Georgia three.
SECTION. 1
When vacancies happen in the Representation from any
All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a
State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of
Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Sen-
Election to fill such Vacancies.
ate and House of Representatives.
The House of Representatives shall chuse their
SECTION. 2 Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole
Power of Impeachment.
The House of Representatives shall be composed of Mem-
bers chosen every second Year by the People of the several
SECTION. 3
States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifi-
cations requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two
of the State Legislature. Senators from each State, [chosen by the Legislature there-
of,]* for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.
No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have
attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence
Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may
when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first
shall be chosen. Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year,
of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and
[Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned
of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that
among the several States which may be included within
one third may be chosen every second Year; [and if Vacan-
this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which
cies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess
shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of
of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may
free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term
make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of
of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of
the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies.]*
all other Persons.]* The actual Enumeration shall be made
C O N S T I T UT I O N O F T H E UN I T E D S TAT E S
, No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and
to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of from time to time publish the same, excepting such Parts
the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an as may in their Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas
Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen and Nays of the Members of either House on any question
shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be entered
The Vice President of the United States shall be
on the Journal.
President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless
they be equally divided. Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, with-
out the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three
The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a
days, nor to any other Place than that in which the two
President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice
Houses shall be sitting.
President, or when he shall exercise the Office of
President of the United States
SECTION. 6
The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeach-
The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compen-
ments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on
sation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid
Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United
out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all
States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no
Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be
Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two
privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Ses-
thirds of the Members present.
sion of their respective Houses, and in going to and return-
Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend ing from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either
further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.
hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under
No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for
the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless
which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office
be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and
under the Authority of the United States, which shall have
Punishment, according to Law.
been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been
encreased during such time; and no Person holding any
SECTION. 4
Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either
The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for House during his Continuance in Office.
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, except as
to the Places of chusing Senators.
The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and
such Meeting shall be [on the first Monday in December,]*
unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day.
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; but a
smaller Number may adjourn from day to day, and may be
authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members,
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.
C O N S T I T UT I O N O F T H E UN I T E D S TAT E S
CONSTITUTION
of the United States
NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER
,We the People of the United States, in Order to form a within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress
more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of
Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The
the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every
ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one
Constitution for the United States of America Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made,
the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse
three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and Providence
Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York six, New
Article. I. Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland
six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five,
and Georgia three.
SECTION. 1
When vacancies happen in the Representation from any
All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a
State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of
Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Sen-
Election to fill such Vacancies.
ate and House of Representatives.
The House of Representatives shall chuse their
SECTION. 2 Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole
Power of Impeachment.
The House of Representatives shall be composed of Mem-
bers chosen every second Year by the People of the several
SECTION. 3
States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifi-
cations requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two
of the State Legislature. Senators from each State, [chosen by the Legislature there-
of,]* for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.
No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have
attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence
Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may
when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first
shall be chosen. Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year,
of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and
[Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned
of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that
among the several States which may be included within
one third may be chosen every second Year; [and if Vacan-
this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which
cies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess
shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of
of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may
free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term
make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of
of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of
the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies.]*
all other Persons.]* The actual Enumeration shall be made
C O N S T I T UT I O N O F T H E UN I T E D S TAT E S
, No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and
to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of from time to time publish the same, excepting such Parts
the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an as may in their Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas
Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen and Nays of the Members of either House on any question
shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be entered
The Vice President of the United States shall be
on the Journal.
President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless
they be equally divided. Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, with-
out the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three
The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a
days, nor to any other Place than that in which the two
President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice
Houses shall be sitting.
President, or when he shall exercise the Office of
President of the United States
SECTION. 6
The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeach-
The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compen-
ments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on
sation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid
Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United
out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all
States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no
Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be
Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two
privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Ses-
thirds of the Members present.
sion of their respective Houses, and in going to and return-
Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend ing from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either
further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.
hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under
No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for
the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless
which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office
be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and
under the Authority of the United States, which shall have
Punishment, according to Law.
been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been
encreased during such time; and no Person holding any
SECTION. 4
Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either
The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for House during his Continuance in Office.
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, except as
to the Places of chusing Senators.
The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and
such Meeting shall be [on the first Monday in December,]*
unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day.
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; but a
smaller Number may adjourn from day to day, and may be
authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members,
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.
C O N S T I T UT I O N O F T H E UN I T E D S TAT E S
