what is the constitution of the united states called
Constitutional right


respect to individuals, the substantive rights, more diverse than the process ones, incorporate the individual freedoms granted and protected by the national government. Each of the United States has its own governing Constitution. The States Constitutions are usually longer and written in much more detail than the U.S. Constitution. For example, the Alabama Constitution has more than 600 pages and the New Jersey Constitution of 1947 is three times longer than the U.S. Constitution. The reason for this difference between the federal Constitution and the states Constitutions is what Justice Brennan called
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Constitution


and 1777, during the American Revolution (and before the later Articles of Confederation and United States Constitution), with the exceptions of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts adopted its Constitution in 1780, the oldest still-functioning constitution of any U.S. state; while Connecticut and Rhode Island officially continued to operate under their old colonial charters, until they adopted their first state constitutions in 1818 and 1843, respectively. What is sometimes called the "enlightened constitution" model was developed by philosophers of the Age of
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United States constitutional law


United States constitutional law is the body of law governing the interpretation and implementation of the United States Constitution. United States constitutional law defines the scope and application of the terms of the Constitution, although not lawfully. The states created the US Constitution, and it is not for interpretation as it means exactly today what it meant when the document was created. [“On every occasion [of Constitutional interpretation] let us carry ourselves back to the time when the Constitution was adopted, recollect the spirit manifested in the debates, and
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Constitutional Convention (United States)


of the state constitutions, and even Charles Pinckney's plan, to produce the first full draft, which author David O. Stewart has called a "remarkable copy-and-paste job." Randolph adopted two rules in preparing his initial outline: that the Constitution should only include essential principles, avoiding minor provisions that would change over time, and that it should be stated in simple and precise language. Much of what was included in the committee's report consisted of numerous details that the Convention had never discussed but which the
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Malolos Constitution


1901 Aguinaldo was captured. On April 19, he issued a Proclamation of Formal Surrender to the United States, telling his followers to lay down their weapons and give up the fight. General Miguel Malvar took over the leadership of the Filipino government, or what remained of it. Malvar surrendered, along with his sick wife and children and some of his officers, on April 13, 1902. Beginning with the Philippine Organic Act of 1902 the United States Congress passed a number of so-called organic acts in the American constitutional
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Convention to propose amendments to the United States Constitution


A convention to propose amendments to the United States Constitution, also called an Article V Convention or amendments convention, called for by two-thirds (currently 34) of the state legislatures, is one of two processes authorized by Article Five of the United States Constitution whereby the United States Constitution may be altered. Amendments may also be proposed by the Congress with a two-thirds vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. To become part of the Constitution, an amendment must be ratified by either—as determined
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Henry Knox


of both the military and defects in the Articles of Confederation that hampered Congressional ability to act on the matter. In the rebellion's aftermath Congress called what became known as the Constitutional Convention, in which the current United States Constitution was drafted. Knox in early 1787 sent George Washington a draft proposal for a government that bears significant resemblance to what was eventually adopted. When Washington asked Knox if he should attend the convention, Knox urged him to do so: "It would be circumstance highly honorable to your fame, in the
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United States obscenity law


United States obscenity law deals with the regulation or suppression of what is considered obscenity. In the United States, discussion of obscenity revolves around what constitutes pornography and of censorship, but also raises issues of freedom of speech and of the press, otherwise protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Issues of obscenity arise at federal and state levels. The States have a direct interest in public morality and have responsibility in relation to criminal law matters, including the punishment for the production and sale of obscene materials
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History of the United States Constitution


. The "Federal Constitution" was to be changed to meet the requirements of good government and "the preservation of the Union". Congress would then approve what measures it allowed, then the state legislatures would unanimously confirm whatever changes of those were to take effect. Twelve state legislatures, Rhode Island being the only exception, sent delegates to convene at Philadelphia in May 1787. While the resolution calling the Convention specified that its purpose was to propose amendments to the Articles, through discussion and debate it became clear by mid-
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William Rehnquist


authority does not comport with the federal system of government embodied in the Constitution." As chief justice, Rehnquist presided over what law professor Erwin Chemerinsky has called a "federalist revolution", during which the Court limited federal power in cases such as "New York v. United States", "United States v. Lopez", "Printz v. United States", and "United States v. Morrison". Similarly, Cato Institute scholar Roger Pilon has said that "[t]he Rehnquist court has revived the doctrine of federalism . .
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Strict constructionism


politicians who identified themselves as strict constructionists embraced an approach to constitutional interpretation that resembles what we today call originalism. A broadly accepted, but possibly apocryphal, story has Davy Crockett delivering a speech called "Not Yours To Give", in which he urged the United States Congress to reject an appropriation for a Naval widow on the grounds that Congress had no Constitutional authority to give charity. He was said to have been inspired to this view by Horatio Bunce, a constituent in his district and by accounts given, a strict constructionist
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Proposed "Liberty" Amendment to the United States Constitution


The proposed "Liberty" Amendment to the United States Constitution was first proffered, pursuant to the Constitution's Article V, for the consideration of the 82nd United States Congress on June 28, 1952, in the form of House Joint Resolution No. 491 (""proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to calling of a convention to consider an amendment to the Constitution to prohibit the United States Government from engaging in business in competition with its citizens"") by the late United States Representative Ralph W.
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Courts-martial of the United States


's presence at trial. In UCMJ parlance, "arrest" refers to a physical restriction to specified geographic limits. "Apprehension", in United States military law, is what would normally be called an arrest in most legal systems. Under Article 25 of the UCMJ, members of the court are selected from members of the armed forces by the convening authority. Although the Founding Fathers of the United States guaranteed American citizens the right of a jury trial both in the text of the Constitution and in the Bill of Rights,
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United States constitutional law


the country. Other federal powers specifically enumerated by Section 8 of Article I of the United States Constitution (and generally considered exclusive to the federal government) are: Although, for all practical purposes (as proved by the fact of the U.S. Civil War), the federal government does not actually govern by the "consent of the states," some of the more important powers reserved by the states to themselves in the Constitution are: The Eleventh Amendment to the United States Constitution defines the scope of when and in what circumstances
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Preamble to the United States Constitution


The Preamble to the United States Constitution is a brief introductory statement of the Constitution's fundamental purposes and guiding principles. It states in general terms, and courts have referred to it as reliable evidence of the Founding Fathers' intentions regarding the Constitution's meaning and what they hoped the Constitution would achieve. The Preamble was placed in the Constitution during the last days of the Constitutional Convention by the Committee on Style, which wrote its final draft, with Gouverneur Morris leading the effort. It was not proposed or discussed on the floor
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Ideological restrictions on naturalization in U.S. law


from citizenship of applicants who are hostile to the basic form of government of the United States, or who disbelieve in the principles of the Constitution." Even still, the ideological requirement is "nebulous"; it begs the questions of what the "basic form of government of the United States" is and what the key "principles of the Constitution" are to which the applicant must subscribe. In "Schneiderman v. United States", the case to develop the attachment requirement in the most detail, the court evaluated the
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Kentucky Constitution


constitution was accepted by the United States Congress on June 1, 1792, making Kentucky the fifteenth state. The 1792 Constitution had several similarities to the United States Constitution in that it provided for three branches of government – legislative, executive, and judicial – and a bicameral legislature called the General Assembly. The document contained a bill of rights, and called for an electoral college to elect senators and the state's governor. (Representatives were chosen by popular election.) Some relatively new ideas were included in the 1792 Constitution.
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Second Constitutional Convention of the United States


The calling of a Second Constitutional Convention of the United States is a proposal made by some scholars and activists from across the political spectrum for the purpose of making substantive reforms to the United States Federal government by rewriting its Constitution. Since the initial 1787–88 debate over ratification of the Constitution, there have been sporadic calls for the convening of a second convention to modify and correct perceived shortcomings in the Federal system it established. Article V of the Constitution provides two methods for amending the nation's frame of government. The first method authorizes
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1788–89 United States elections


of government in United States history. Prior to the ratification of the United States Constitution in 1788, the U.S. had been governed under the Articles of Confederation, which provided for a very limited central government; what power that did exist was vested in the Congress of the Confederation, a unicameral legislature consisting of representatives elected by the states. The Congress of the Confederation had elected a president, but this position was largely ceremonial and was not equivalent to the presidency that was established by the United States Constitution. Under the U.S. Constitution
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History of Iraq (2003–2011)


as well as the creation of an Iraqi constitution, and the active role of Iraqis in the establishment of an interim authority and new government. U.S. officials continue to emphasize that the invasion was not about long-term occupation, but about liberation. In November 2003, Paul Bremer announced the plan to hand over limited sovereignty to the Iraqi governing council by 30 June 2004. A draft constitution was written and approved by the Iraqi Governing Council in March 2004. The United States has stated its plans to enter into what it calls
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Obscenity


engaged in sexual and excretory activity. In the United States of America, issues of obscenity raise issues of limitations on the freedom of speech and of the press, which are otherwise protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Federal obscenity law in the U.S. is unusual in that there is no uniform national standard. Former Justice Potter Stewart of the Supreme Court of the United States, in attempting to classify what material constituted exactly "what is obscene," famously wrote, "I shall not today attempt
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Powers of the United States Congress


Powers of the United States Congress are implemented by the United States Constitution, defined by rulings of the Supreme Court, and by its own efforts and by other factors such as history and custom. It is the chief legislative body of the United States. Some powers are explicitly defined by the Constitution and are called "enumerated powers"; others have been assumed to exist and are called "implied powers". Article I of the Constitution sets forth most of the powers of Congress, which include numerous explicit powers enumerated in Section
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Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution


The Fourth Amendment (Amendment IV) to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. It prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures. In addition, it sets requirements for issuing warrants: warrants must be issued by a judge or magistrate, justified by probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and must particularly describe the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized. Fourth Amendment case law deals with three main issues: what government activities are "searches" and "seizures", what constitutes
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Convention to propose amendments to the United States Constitution


its scope, in light of the United States' experience with state constitutional conventions; over 600 state constitutional conventions have been held to amend state constitutions, with little evidence that any of them have exceeded their scope. This is reinforced by the fact that prior to the 1787 Philadelphia Convention, there were many other conventions of the states (some called by Congress, but most called by the states themselves) where the delegates operated within the scope of their commissions. Further, at many Conventions, States have directly controlled their delegates
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Constitutional Convention (United States)


proportional representation" was to be defined by a state's geography or by its population, and whether slaves were to be counted; whether to divide the executive power among three people or vest the power in a single chief executive to be called the President; how a president would be elected, for what term, and whether to limit each president to a single term in office; what offenses should be impeachable; the nature of a fugitive slave clause, and whether to allow the abolition of the slave trade; and whether
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The Mis-Education of the Negro


United States in all schools was turned down because “it would never do to have Negroes study the Constitution of the United States." Woodson also lays out a brief history of other times when African Americans were kept from learning about laws that govern their everyday life and the policies that were keeping them subservient. “The Loss of Vision” describes how Woodson feels the black population of America has lost sight of a common goal. In this chapter he brings up how in what he calls “our so-called democracy,
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Constitution of the United States


Constitution on or off at will would lead to a regime in which they, not this Court, say "what the law is". Courts established by the Constitution can regulate government under the Constitution, the supreme law of the land. First, they have jurisdiction over actions by an officer of government and state law. Second, federal courts may rule on whether coordinate branches of national government conform to the Constitution. Until the twentieth century, the Supreme Court of the United States may have been the only high tribunal in
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Rootstrikers


Rootstrikers and the conservative Tea Party Patriots held a "Conference on the Constitutional Convention" in hopes of generating support for the calling of a national convention to propose proposing amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Such a convention, also called an "Article V Convention", is one of two ways processes authorized by Article Five of the United States Constitution whereby the Constitution, the nation's frame of government, may be altered, and must be called by the United States Congress upon the request of two-thirds (presently 34)
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Constitution of the United States


the federal government nor does it provide specific limitations on government action. It does however, provide essential documentation of the Constitution's validity, a statement of "This is what was agreed to." It records who signed the Constitution, and when and where. The procedure for amending the Constitution is outlined in Article Five (see above). The process is overseen by the Archivist of the United States. Between 1949 and 1985 it was overseen by the Administrator of General Services, and before that by the Secretary of State
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Equitable interest


United States. Equity is a concept of rights distinct from legal (that is, common law) rights; it is (or, at least, it originated as) "the body of principles constituting what is fair and right (natural law)". It was "the system of law or body of principles originating in the English Court of Chancery and superseding the common and statute law (together called 'law' in the narrower sense) when the two conflict". In equity, a judge determines what is
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1986 Massachusetts general election


legislature to prohibit or regulate abortions to the extent permitted by the United States Constitution. It would also provide that the state constitution does not require public or private funding of abortions, or the provision of services of facilities for performing abortions, beyond what is required by the United States Constitution. The provisions of this amendment would not apply to abortions required to prevent the death of the mother. Proposed Legislative Amendment to the Constitution - The proposed constitutional amendment would allow the expenditure of public funds for private schools and private school students.
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Enumerated powers (United States)


The enumerated powers (also called expressed powers, explicit powers or delegated powers) of the United States Congress are listed in of the United States Constitution. In summary, Congress may exercise the powers that the Constitution grants it, subject to the individual rights listed in the Bill of Rights. Moreover, the Constitution expresses various other limitations on Congress, such as the one expressed by the Tenth Amendment: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to
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Constitution of 3 May 1791


received by any nation at any time ... Stanislas II has earned a place among the greatest kings and statesmen in history." The 3 May Constitution was the first to follow the 1788 ratification of the United States Constitution. Poland and the United States, though geographically distant from each other, showed similar approaches to the designing of political systems. The 3 May Constitution has been called the second constitution in world history. Constitutional-law expert Albert Blaustein calls it the "world's second national constitution", and Bill Moyers writes
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Banking in the United States


—separate from the bank regulatory agencies—at the federal and state level. U.S. banking regulations address privacy, disclosure, fraud prevention, anti-money laundering, anti-terrorism, anti-usury lending, and the promotion of lending to lower-income populations. Some individual cities also enact their own financial regulation laws (for example, defining what constitutes usurious lending). The central banking system of the United States, called the Federal Reserve system, was created in 1913 by the enactment of the Federal Reserve Act,
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Joel Roberts Poinsett


U.S.–Mexico boundary, and urging the adoption of a constitution patterned on that of the U.S. After visiting an area south of Mexico City near Taxco de Alarcón, Poinsett saw what later became known in the United States as the poinsettia. (In Mexico it is called "Flor de Nochebuena", Christmas Eve flower, or "Catarina"). Poinsett, an avid amateur botanist, sent samples of the plant to the United States, and by 1836 the plant was widely known as the "poinsettia". Also a species of
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Constitutional court


are sometimes also called "constitutional courts". For example, the Supreme Court of the United States has been called the world's oldest constitutional court because it was one of the earliest courts in the world to invalidate a law as unconstitutional ("Marbury v. Madison"), even though it is not a separate constitutional court, hearing as it does cases not touching on the Constitution. Prior to 1919, the United States, Canada and Australia had adopted the concept of judicial review by their courts following shared principles of their
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United States federal judge


In the United States, the title of federal judge means a judge (pursuant to Article Three of the United States Constitution) appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate pursuant to the Appointments Clause in Article II of the United States Constitution. In addition to the Supreme Court of the United States, whose existence and some aspects of whose jurisdiction are beyond the constitutional power of Congress to alter, Congress has established 13 courts of appeals (also called "circuit courts") with appellate jurisdiction
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Original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the United States


The original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the United States is limited to a small class of cases described in Article III, section 2, of the United States Constitution, and further delineated by statute. The relevant constitutional clause states: Certain cases that have not been considered by a lower court may be heard by the Supreme Court in the first instance under what is termed original jurisdiction. The Supreme Court's authority in this respect is also derived from Article III of the Constitution, which states that the Supreme Court shall have
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John Roberts


opinion was inconsistent with "United States v. Lopez" and "United States v. Morrison" in that it incorrectly focused on whether the "regulation" substantially affects interstate commerce rather than on whether the regulated "activity" does. In Roberts's view, the Commerce Clause of the Constitution did not permit the government to regulate activity affecting what he called "a hapless toad" that "for reasons of its own, lives its entire life in California." He said that reviewing the panel decision would allow the court "alternative
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Karamu House


their early years, that the arts provided the perfect common ground, and in 1917 plays at the "Playhouse Settlement" began. The early twenties saw a large number of African Americans move into an area in Cleveland, from the Southern United States. Resisting pressure to exclude their new neighbors, the Jelliffes insisted that all races were welcome. They used the United States Constitution; "all men are created equal". What was then called the Playhouse Settlement quickly became a magnet for some of the best African American artists of
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Pelatiah Webster


Pelatiah Webster (born 1726 in Lebanon, Connecticut, died 1795 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was an American merchant, clergyman, and, from the beginning of the American Revolution, author of short essays concerning the finances and government of the fledgling United States. He took a strongly laissez-faire position economically, was a proponent of what would become the Constitution of the United States, and was for his body of work called by Lawrence W. Reed "America’s Adam Smith" and "a Forgotten Founder." "I propose
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Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn


of what Aristotle calls πολιτεία), such as Switzerland, or the United States as it was originally intended in its constitution. However, he considered the United States to have been to a certain extent subject to a silent democratic revolution in the late 1820s. In "Liberty or Equality", his masterpiece, Kuehnelt-Leddihn contrasted monarchy with democracy and presented his arguments for the superiority of monarchy: diversity is upheld better in monarchical countries than in democracies. Monarchism is not based on party rule and "fits organically into the
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High school (North America)


Constitution was ratified, the Continental Congress passed a law calling for a survey of the "Northwest Territory" which included what was to become the state of Ohio. The law created "townships", reserving a portion of each township for a local school. Under the constitution, education was devolved to individual states. The Pennsylvania state constitution, written in 1790, calls for free public education, but only for poor children, assuming that the rich will pay for their own children's schooling. In 1805, the New York
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History of Christianity in the United States


Catholic parochial school system developed in the early-to-mid-19th century partly in response to what was seen as anti-Catholic bias in American public schools. The recent wave of newly established Protestant schools is sometimes similarly attributed to the teaching of evolution (as opposed to creationism) in public schools. Most states passed a constitutional amendment, called "Blaine Amendments, forbidding tax money be used to fund parochial schools, a possible outcome with heavy immigration from Catholic Ireland after the 1840s. In 2002, the United States Supreme Court
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History of Protestantism in the United States


to-mid-19th century partly in response to what was seen as anti-Catholic bias in American public schools. The recent wave of newly established Protestant schools is sometimes similarly attributed to the teaching of evolution (as opposed to creationism) in public schools. Most states passed a constitutional amendment, called "Blaine Amendments, forbidding tax money be used to fund parochial schools, a possible outcome with heavy immigration from Catholic Ireland after the 1840s. In 2002, the United States Supreme Court partially vitiated these amendments, in theory, when
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History of the Constitution of the United Kingdom


Diggers' declaration comes from the "people" instead of from the state. They are some times called "True Levellers" to distinguish themselves from the larger political group called the Levellers, which had supported the republicans during the civil war. The Diggers were not satisfied with what had been gained by the war against the king and wanted instead a dismantling of the state. They can be best understood through such philosophies as libertarianism, anarchism, and religious communism. Also at this time, the Polish Brethren arrived in England and
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Foreign policy of Japan


. It accommodated itself flexibly to the regional and global policies of the United States while avoiding major initiatives of its own; adhered to pacifist principles embodied in the 1947 constitution, referred to as the "peace constitution"; and generally took a passive, low-profile role in world affairs. Relations with other countries were governed by what the leadership called "omnidirectional diplomacy," which was essentially a policy of maintaining political neutrality in foreign affairs while expanding economic relations wherever possible. This policy was highly successful and allowed Japan to
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Ferdinand Lundberg


New York Herald Tribune". Described by the "Los Angeles Times" as "witty, articulate, opinionated, marvelously well-read and not the least bit shy about telling us exactly what he thinks about America and the mess we've made of it", Lundberg was vocal in his contrarian viewpoints, describing the United States as an oligarchy, eviscerating prominent American families including the Rockefellers and Hearsts, and denouncing the United States Constitution while calling for its replacement with a parliamentary system. Several of his dozen-or-
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2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Kansas


the Pompeo campaign tweeted a link to a controversial blog that referred to Goyle as "just another 'turban topper' we don’t need in Congress or any political office that deals with the U.S. Constitution, Christianity, and the United States of America!" The tweet, recommending the piece as a "good read", led to an apology from Pompeo. The Goyle camp attacked Pompeo for what they called "bigoted attacks" when a supporter of the Republican candidate sponsored billboards that said "Vote American, [v]ote Pompeo
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Official Code of Georgia Annotated


The Official Code of Georgia Annotated or OCGA is the compendium of all laws in the U.S. state of Georgia. Like other U.S. state codes, its legal interpretation is subject to the United States Constitution, the United States Code, the Code of Federal Regulations, and the state's constitution. It is to the state what the United States Code (U.S.C.) is to the federal government. An unusual feature of the OCGA is that, as stated in section 1-1-1, the privately prepared code annotations are officially
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Gouverneur Morris


Gouverneur Morris (30 January 1752 – 6 November 1816) was an American statesman, a Founding Father of the United States, and a signatory to the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution. He wrote the Preamble to the United States Constitution and has been called the "Penman of the Constitution." In an era when most Americans thought of themselves as citizens of their respective states, Morris advanced the idea of being a citizen of a single union of states. He represented New York in the United States Senate from
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Article One of the United States Constitution


the United States exercises many powers that are not expressly delegated by the States in the Federal Government by the Constitution, like the different social programs of the American Welfare State. However, James Madison, who wrote much of the Constitution, disagreed that Congress exercises powers that are not expressly granted in the Constitution; Madison, when he held the Office of President of the United States, exercised his Veto power against the Federal Public Works Bill of 1817, calling it Unconstitutional, since to him, the Federal Government does not have
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Limited government


In political philosophy, limited government is where the government is empowered by law from a starting point of having no power, or where governmental power is restricted by law, usually in a written constitution. It is a key concept in the history of liberalism. The United States Constitution presents an example of the federal government not possessing any power except what is delegated to it by the Constitution — with the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution making explicit that powers not specifically delegated to the federal government are reserved for the people and
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Social class in the United States


considerable differences in income, culture, educational attainment, influence, and occupation. As with all social classes in the United States, there are no definite answers as to what is and what is not middle class. Sociologists such as Dennis Gilbert, James Henslin, William Thompson, and Joseph Hickey have brought forth class models in which the middle class is divided into two sections that combined constitute 47% to 49% of the population. The upper middle or professional class constitutes the upper end of the middle class which consists of
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Original meaning


In the context of United States constitutional interpretation, original meaning is the dominant form of the legal theory of originalism today. It was made popular by Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and contends that the terms of the United States Constitution should be interpreted as meaning what they meant when they were ratified, which is to say, it asks the question: "What would a reasonable person living at the time of ratification have understood these words to mean?" The theory stands in equal opposition to interpretivist theories such as original intent,
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Classified information in the United States


in January 2008, said in part, "The definitions of 'national security' and what constitutes 'intelligence'—and thus what must be classified—are unclear. ... Many interpretations exist concerning what constitutes harm or the degree of harm that might result from improper disclosure of the information, often leading to inconsistent or contradictory guidelines from different agencies. ... There appears to be no common understanding of classification levels among the classification guides reviewed by the team, nor any consistent guidance as to what constitutes 'damage,' 'serious damage,
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State legislature (United States)


which have been proposed by both houses of Congress and they also retain the ability to call for a national convention to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution. After the convention has concluded its business 75% of the states will then be required to ratify what the convention has proposed. Under Article II, state legislatures choose the manner of appointing the state's presidential electors. Formerly, state legislatures appointed the U.S. Senators from their respective states until the ratification of the 17th Amendment in 1913 required the direct election of Senators by the state
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Deakin v Webb


. Their Lordships held that the relevant question was not the intention of the Australians who framed the Constitution, but rather what the British Parliament had in mind when it passed the "Constitution Act". The opinion of the Privy Council states that "The American Union, on the other hand, has erected a tribunal which possesses jurisdiction to annul a Statute upon the ground that it is unconstitutional" The basis for this statement is unclear as the United States Constitution contains no express provision to endow the Supreme Court of the United States
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Preamble to the United States Constitution


and sovereign immunity), and courts deem that the Founders' perceptions of the legal system that the Constitution created (i.e., the interaction between what it changed and what it kept from the British legal system) are uniquely important because of the authority "the People" invested them with to create it. Along with evidence of the understandings of the men who debated and drafted the Constitution at the Constitutional Convention, the courts are also interested in the way that government officials have put into practice the Constitution's provisions, particularly early
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Cenk Uygur


lobby state legislators to pass resolutions calling for a Convention of the States under Article V of the US Constitution. Its slogan is "A super-PAC to end all super-PACs". The aim of the convention would be to pass an amendment to the United States Constitution that would end corporate personhood and publicly finance all elections in the United States. , five states have passed the resolution thus calling for such a convention, though not all states have used identical language in their convention call. On January 23, 2017
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Article Five of the United States Constitution


Article Five of the United States Constitution describes the process whereby the Constitution, the nation's frame of government, may be altered. Under Article V, the process to alter the Constitution consists of proposing an amendment or amendments, and subsequent ratification. Amendments may be proposed either by the Congress with a two-thirds vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a convention of states called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures. To become part of the Constitution, an amendment must be ratified by
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Nigerien National Commission on Human Rights and Fundamental Liberties


the Fourth Republic of Niger (as Article 33), and its creation was passed into law by decree 98-55 of 29 December 1998. Before the Commission was created, President Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara was overthrown and killed on 9 April 1999, and the Fourth Republic's constitution suspended. The July 1999 constitution of the Fifth Republic of Niger included identical wording mandating the Commission on Human Rights. The commission was first established in March 2000. In 2000 the Commission published what the United States called "a credible, well-
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Eugenio María de Hostos


1857. He studied law, philosophy and letters. As a student there, he became interested in politics. In 1863, he published in Madrid what is considered his greatest work, "La Peregrinación de Bayoán". When Spain adopted its new constitution in 1869 and refused to grant Puerto Rico its independence, Hostos left Spain for the United States. During his one-year stay in the United States, he joined the Cuban Revolutionary Committee and became the editor of a journal called "La Revolución". Hostos believed in
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Bail


Depute can request the High Court to review any bail decision where they believe that bail should not have been granted. The 8th Amendment to the United States Constitution states, "Excessive bail shall not be required," thus establishing bail as a constitutional right. What constitutes "excessive" is a matter of judicial discretion, and bail "can" be denied if the judge feels that it will not aid in forcing the accused back to trial. Money bail is the most common form of bail in the United States and the
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Citizenship


follows citizenship of a canton and of the Confederation. Another example is Åland where the residents enjoy a special provincial citizenship within Finland, "hembygdsrätt". The United States has a federal system in which a person is a citizen of their specific state of residence, such as New Jersey or California, as well as a citizen of the United States. State constitutions may grant certain rights above and beyond what are granted under the United States Constitution and may impose their own obligations including the sovereign right of taxation and military service;
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1788 United States House of Representatives election in Pennsylvania


An Election to the United States House of Representatives in Pennsylvania were held on November 26, 1788 for the 1st Congress. The United States Constitution was adopted on September 17, 1787, by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, and then ratified by the States. Pennsylvania's legislature ratified the Constitution on December 12, 1787 by a vote of 46-23. On July 8, 1788, the Congress of the Confederation passed a resolution calling the first session of the 1st United States Congress for March 4, 1789, to convene
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Article Four of the United States Constitution


in republican principles such as the consent of the governed. By ensuring that all states must have the same basic republican philosophy, the Guarantee Clause is one of several portions of the Constitution which mandates symmetric federalism between the states. The Constitution does not explain what exactly constitutes a republican form of government. There are, however, several places within it where the principles behind the concept are articulated. Article Seven, the last and shortest of the Constitution's original articles, stipulated that the Constitution, before it could become established as
12968406
Assisted death in the United States


The Oregon, Washington, Vermont, and most recently Colorado laws expressly say that, "actions taken in accordance with [the Act] shall not, for any purpose, constitute suicide, assisted suicide, mercy killing or homicide, under the law." This language is intended to distinguish the legal act of what proponents call "medical aid in dying" from the act of helping someone commit suicide, which is prohibited by statute in 42 states and prohibited by common law in an additional six states and the District of Columbia
1191904
History of Czechoslovakia


in Subcarpathian Ruthenia, the Russophiles and Ukrainophiles, agreed on the establishment of an autonomous government that was constituted on 8 October 1938. In late November 1938, the truncated state, renamed Czecho-Slovakia (the so-called Second Republic), was reconstituted in three autonomous units: the Czech lands (i.e. Bohemia and Moravia), Slovakia, and Ruthenia. On 14 March 1939, the Slovak State declared its independence as a satellite state under Jozef Tiso. Hitler forced Hácha to surrender what remained of Bohemia and Moravia to
919151
Greg Abbott


2017, a federal judge ruled against the law, but the State of Texas vowed to appeal the ruling. On June 6, 2017, Abbott signed a bill into law banning dismemberment and partial-birth abortions and requiring either the cremation or burial of the aborted. The law was also blocked by a federal judge; the state said it would appeal. On January 8, 2016, Abbott called for a national constitutional convention to address what he sees as abuses by justices of the United States Supreme Court in "abandoning the
9872677
Mark Meckler


the United States Constitution. Meckler has noted: "By calling a convention of states, we can stop the federal spending and debt spree, the power grabs of the federal courts, and other misuses of federal power. The current situation is precisely what the Founders feared, and they gave us a solution we have a duty to use." After Marco Rubio endorsed CSG's plans for a convention of states to propose amendments, Meckler said he was glad to see the Convention of States Project "enter the mainstream of presidential
20263491
Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution


states. While women had the right to vote in several of the early colonies in what would become the United States, after 1776, with the exception of New Jersey, all states adopted constitutions that denied voting rights to women. New Jersey's constitution initially granted suffrage to property-holding residents, including single and married women, but the state rescinded women's voting rights in 1807 and did not restore them until New Jersey ratified the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920. While scattered movements and organizations dedicated to women's rights existed previously
13052032
Second Amendment to the United States Constitution


The congressional debate on the proposed Fourteenth Amendment concentrated on what the Southern States were doing to harm the newly freed slaves, including disarming the former slaves. In 1867, Judge Timothy Farrar published his "Manual of the Constitution of the United States of America", which was written when the Fourteenth Amendment was "in the process of adoption by the State legislatures.": Judge Thomas M. Cooley, perhaps the most widely read constitutional scholar of the nineteenth century, wrote extensively about this amendment, and he explained in 1880 how
13051410
Direct democracy


democratic process of the town meeting. This is the oldest form of direct democracy in the United States, and predates the founding of the country by at least a century. Direct democracy was not what the framers of the United States Constitution envisioned for the nation. They saw a danger in tyranny of the majority. As a result, they advocated a representative democracy in the form of a constitutional republic over a direct democracy. For example, James Madison, in Federalist No. 10, advocates a constitutional republic over direct democracy
11264706
Immigration reduction in the United States


. The America First Party calls for a ten-year moratorium, with only spouses and children of citizens allowed in.  Other advocates for moratoriums include the Reform Party and 2004 Constitution Party presidential candidate Michael Peroutka . Robert Locke surpasses them by calling for a negative immigration rate. He has defined this as restricting immigration to the U.S. to what he calls the "normal" (i.e., pre-1965) average flow of immigrants throughout U.S. history, combined with the deportation of all illegal immigrants. The Carrying Capacity Network (CCN) and
20317721
Convention to propose amendments to the United States Constitution


by Congress—the legislatures of three-fourths (presently 38) of the states, or state ratifying conventions in three-fourths of the states. Thirty-three amendments to the United States Constitution have been approved by Congress and sent to the states for ratification. Twenty-seven of these amendments have been ratified and are now part of the Constitution. , the amendment convention process has never been used for proposing constitutional amendments. While there have been calls for an "Article V Convention" based on a single issue such
17995527
Gertrude Weil


suffrage. Between 1919 and 1920 women's suffrage associations in the United States were involved in the final push for the passage of what would become the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. In order to secure the right of women to vote. Weil continued her work with women's suffrage associations, gathering signatures and endorsements.  When the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed in 1920, prohibiting the state and federal governments denying the right to vote on the basis of sex, Weil was serving as President
17606426
Philip D. Zelikow


at the University of Virginia's Miller Center of Public Affairs. In writing about the importance of beliefs about history, Zelikow has called attention to what he has called "'searing' or 'molding' events [that] take on 'transcendent' importance and, therefore, retain their power even as the experiencing generation passes from the scene. In the United States, beliefs about the formation of the nation and the Constitution remain powerful today, as do beliefs about slavery and the Civil War. World War II, Vietnam
12053665
History of Connecticut


government when faced with the demands of a war. On January 14, 1639, freemen from these three settlements ratified the "Fundamental Orders of Connecticut" in what John Fiske called "the first written constitution known to history that created a government. It marked the beginnings of American democracy, of which Thomas Hooker deserves more than any other man to be called the father. The government of the United States today is in lineal descent more nearly related to that of Connecticut than to that of any of the other thirteen colonies.
20214761
Thomas Hooker


1639, freemen from these three settlements ratified the "Fundamental Orders of Connecticut" in what John Fiske called "the first written constitution known to history that created a government. It marked the beginnings of American democracy, of which Thomas Hooker deserves more than any other man to be called the father. The government of the United States today is in lineal descent more nearly related to that of Connecticut than to that of any of the other thirteen colonies." In recognition of this, near Chelmsford Cathedral, Essex, England,
20663730
Article Two of the United States Constitution


, and by the same constituency. The framers' intent was to preserve the independence of the executive branch should the person who was vice president succeed to the duties of the presidency. Under the U.S. Constitution the president and vice president are chosen by electors, under a constitutional grant of authority delegated to the legislatures of the several states. The Constitution reserves the choice of the precise manner for creating electors to the will of the state legislatures. It does not define or delimit what process a state legislature may use to create its
12967621
Constitution of Texas


States Constitution. Because of the unwieldiness of the state constitution, there have been attempts to draft a new constitution or to significantly revise the existing one: On March 1, 1845, the US enacted a congressional joint resolution proposing the annexation of Texas to the United States (Joint Resolution for annexing Texas to the United States, J.Res. 8, enacted March 1, 1845, ). On June 23, 1845, the Texan Congress accepted the US Congress's joint resolution, and consented to President Jones' calling of a
5175497
Second Amendment to the United States Constitution


of the Constitution in terms of what that language meant to the people who wrote and ratified the Constitution. The Second Amendment was relatively uncontroversial at the time of its ratification. Robert Whitehill, a delegate from Pennsylvania, sought to clarify the draft Constitution with a bill of rights explicitly granting individuals the right to hunt on their own land in season, though Whitehill's language was never debated. There was substantial opposition to the new Constitution, because it moved the power to arm the state militias from the states to the federal government
13051379
United Nations Security Council Resolution 217


United Nations Security Council Resolution 217, adopted unanimously on November 20, 1965, determined that the situation resulting from the Unilateral Declaration of Independence was extremely grave and that the Government of the United Kingdom should put an end to it as it constitutes a threat to international peace and security. The Council also called upon nations not to recognize what it deemed "this illegal authority" or entertain diplomatic relations with it. It also asked all states to refrain from economic relations with Rhodesia. The resolution was adopted by ten votes to one
15272638
Self-defence in international law


. It is also to be noted that not every act of violence will constitute an armed attack. The ICJ has tried to clarify, in the Nicaragua case, what level of force is necessary to qualify as an armed attack. The traditional customary rules on self-defense derive from an early diplomatic incident between the United States and the United Kingdom over the killing of one US citizen engaged in an attack on Canada, then a British colony. The so-called "Caroline" case established that there had to exist "
16937282
James P. Goodrich


for the rest of his life. During 1919, the United States Congress passed the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, banning the sale of liquor, and the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, granting women the right to vote. At the passage of each amendment, Goodrich called a special one-day legislative session to have the amendments ratified by the state. When he signed the 18th Amendment into law, Indiana became the final state needed to add it to the federal constitution, beginning national prohibition. Among
17857168
Federalist Era


, and Hamilton's economic policies would influence generations of American political leaders. The United States Constitution was written at the 1787 Philadelphia Convention and ratified by the states in 1788, taking effect in 1789. During the 1780s, the United States had operated under the Articles of Confederation, which was essentially a treaty of thirteen sovereign states. Domestic and foreign policy challenges convinced many in the United States of the need for a new constitution that provided for a stronger national government. The supporters of ratification of the Constitution were called Federalists while
18611244
History of direct democracy in the United States


was only the fifth time, since Nevada had gained citizen lawmaking in 1912, that the referendum on an existing state law had been used (Erickson, Questions On The Ballot). Because of the constitutional provisions defining this particular referendum, approval of the state law meant that the legislature is barred from ever amending the law. Only the people can amend such a law in what is called the "see us first" referendum provision. This initiative process functioned as the safety valve it was designed to be. With an approving
10698271
Income tax in the United States


of any constitutional restrictions then the tax is lawful, call it what you will. [[File:Historical Marginal Tax Rate for Highest and Lowest Income Earners.jpg|thumb|Historical federal [[marginal tax rate]]s for income for the lowest and highest income earners in the US. |right]] [[File:Federal, State, and Local income tax GDP.pdf|frameless|right|800px|Federal, State, and Local income tax as a percent GDP]] [[File:Federal taxes by type.pdf|frameless|right|800px|Federal income, payroll, and tariff tax history]] [[File:
2290280
Constitution of Vermont (1777)


The first Constitution of Vermont was drafted in July 1777, almost five months after Vermont declared itself an independent country, now frequently called the Vermont Republic. It was in effect until its extensive revision in 1786. The second Constitution of Vermont went into effect in 1786 and lasted until 1793, two years after Vermont was admitted to the Union as the fourteenth state. In 1791 Vermont became the fourteenth US state and in 1793 it adopted its current constitution. The 1777 constitution was the first in what is now the territory of the
8036519
United States defamation law


what constitutes slander and libel together into the same set of laws. Criminal libel is rarely prosecuted but exists on the books in many states, and is constitutionally permitted in circumstances essentially identical to those where civil libel liability is constitutional. Defenses to libel that can result in dismissal before trial include the statement being one of opinion rather than fact or being "fair comment and criticism", though neither of these are imperatives on the US constitution. Truth is an absolute defense against defamation in the United States, meaning true statements can
10903011
The Third Wave (Toffler book)


Toffler said that industrial-style, centralized, top-down bureaucratic planning would be replaced by a more open, democratic, decentralized style which he called “anticipatory democracy.” Despite the forecast of the obsolescence of the order of nation-states, and the rise of super-national entities, what was "not" forecast was the emergence of a world political union cast in the form of the United States of Earth. In the framework of the Wave Theory of Toffler, such an institution, if constituted along lines
12530871
Officer of the United States


profit or discharging an official function under or in connection with the United States because of his appointment, oath, or status, or any duties or functions performed or pay or allowances received in that capacity." A 2009 Congressional Research Service report noted that "Because Congress has the power to determine the qualifications of its own Members, the limitations that it has imposed on what constitutes an employee holding an office of the United States may be significant to courts considering the constitutional limitations." With the exception of military officers and certain
14255824
George Mason Memorial


Basin area to be dedicated to someone who was not a former President of the United States . The memorial commemorates the contributions of Mason, a Founding Father who wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights, served as a delegate to the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, and created much of the language, inspiration, and groundwork for what became the United States Bill of Rights. Mason, an Anti-Federalist, did not sign the United States Constitution because it did not abolish the slave trade and because he did not think it had
920920
Matthew Locke (U.S. Congress)


and at Halifax in 1776 when the State Constitution was approved. He served several terms in the legislature, including periods in the North Carolina House of Commons from 1777 to 1781, the North Carolina Senate from 1781 to 1782, and in the House of Commons again from 1783 to 1792. Locke was a delegate to the 1789 state Constitutional Convention Locke was a delegate to the 1789 state Constitutional Convention called to consider ratification of the United States Constitution. Locke voted against ratification. Affiliated with the United States Democratic-Republican Party,
17330295
Presidency of William Howard Taft


call a constitutional convention for proposing amendments when two-thirds of the state legislatures apply for one. By 1912, 27 states had called for a constitutional convention on the subject, with 31 states needed to reach the threshold. As the number of applications neared the two-thirds threshold, the Senate abandoned its strategy of obstruction. An amendment to the Constitution establishing the popular election of United States Senators by the people of the states was approved by Congress on May 13, 1912, and submitted to the state legislatures for ratification
13662177
Christchurch Call to Action Summit


protections in the country's Constitution; the United States however did support the summit's "overarching message" and "endorsed its overall goals". Bryan Keogh wrote in The Conversation that the summit "has made excellent progress as a first step to change, but we need to take this opportunity to push for systemic change in what has been a serious, long-term problem." InternetNZ CEO Jordan Carter called the summit "a vital first step" to addressing terrorism and violent extremism online, saying that it was "
13904594
Sally Kohn


2016 United States presidential election. On February 19, 2017, "New York Post" columnist Karol Markowicz wrote, in response to a recent tweet by Kohn, the following: "Last week, cable news personality Sally Kohn tweeted what she called a "straightforward" plan that would eject Donald Trump and install Hillary Clinton into the presidency: "1. Impeach Trump Pence; 2. Constitutional crisis; 3. Call special election; 4. Ryan v Clinton; 5. President Clinton." "Anyone with middle-
2723163
Colombian Constitution of 1886


The Colombian Constitution of 1886 was the constitution that created the Republic of Colombia. Before 1886, the country was called United States of Colombia. The coalition of moderate Liberals and Conservatives that ended the liberal hegemony and placed Rafael Nuñez in power repealed the Constitution of Rionegro and substituted the constitution of 1886. From then on, the country was officially called the Republic of Colombia. The Constituent Assembly consisted of 18 delegates, two from each of the nine states. Rafael Núñez announced a national regeneration program and changed the country from a
13055141
Alice Harrell Strickland


of the state's passage of what was then called the "Susan B. Anthony Amendment" in favor of women's suffrage. Just a year after that amendment was finally enacted as the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1920, Strickland ran for mayor of Duluth. She was elected in 1921 at age 62, becoming the first woman elected mayor in Georgia. Duluth at that time had a reputation for drunkenness and violence, and Strickland ran on a pledge to "clean up Duluth and rid it of demon rum"
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