The Articles of the Constitution

Article 1. The Congress has many powers. It can decide taxes and make laws about citizenship and about foreign trade. If the U.S. fights with another country, Congress can declare war.

Article II. The President has other powers. He or she is the Commander-in-Chief of the military. The President can choose people to be judges on the Supreme Court; he can choose people to be ambassadors. But the Senate must say okay to these people.

Article III. The Judicial branch has certain powers. The courts can review some laws. If the laws do not agree with the Constitution, the courts can tell Congress to change the laws. The courts listen to problems about protecting the Constitutional rights of the people.

Article IV. States have a republican form of government. States can make some state laws. All states must respect the laws of other states.

Article V. Three-fourths of the states must say okay to an amendment.

Article VI. The Constitution is the supreme law of the U.S. Everyone must follow the Constitution.

Article VII. Three-fourths of the states must say okay to this Constitution.

The amendments establish the individual rights and freedoms to all people of the states, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of worship etc. Americans fill that of all freedoms, proclaimed in the constitution, there is only one freedom - the freedom of enterprise. But it means freedom of the wealthy people only. The 21st amendment limited the President's ruling by maximum two terms.

Bill of Rights guaranteed freedom of religion, of speech and of the press. Americans have the right to assemble in public places, to protest government actions and to demand change. They have the right to own weapons if they wish. Because of the Bill of Rights, neither police nor soldiers can stop and search a person without good reason. They also cannot search a person's home without legal permission from a court to do so.

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