The Constitution of the USA.

Words and expressions

1. to adopt5. the Preamble and seven articles

2. it lists the set of rules, laws and regulations6. twenty-seven amendments

3. provide the political norms7. the Bill of Rights

4. private property8. the individual rights and

freedoms

The Constitution of the USA was adopted after the War of Independence on September 17, 1787. It lists the set of rules, laws and regulations, which together provide the political norms regulating the work of the government.

The document represented the interests of privileged class, as the great majority of those who formulated the Constitution were men of property. The main principle under laying the Constitution was as follows: private property is the backbone of liberty.

The Constitution consists of the Preamble and seven articles. Twenty-seven amendments have been added to its original text. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were added in a group in 1791, as a result of growing popular demands. These amendments establish the individual rights and freedoms to all people of the States, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of worship, and the right to peaceful assembly.

All the amendments adopted by Congress become an integral part of the Constitution. Americans feel that of all freedoms proclaimed in the Constitution there is only one freedom – freedom of enterprise. But freedom of enterprise does not at all expend personal freedoms of all citizens. On the contrary, it limits them. Freedom of enterprise in practice means freedom of the wealthy to profit at the expense of the workingman.

The US Government.

Words and expressions

1. a federal union

2. the dual character

3. a certain degree of power

8. the system of checks and balances

9. is vested in

10. ambassadors

4. the Senate and the House of Representatives

5. the Supreme Court

6. the Chief Justice

7. associate Justices

11. decision

12. similar to

The United States of America is a federal union of 50 states. Its basic law is the Constitution, adopted in 1789 and the amendments to it). Besides, each state has its own government. Thus, all governments in America have the dual character of both Federal and state Government. The basic principle of all American government is the separation of the three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. Each branch of government holds a certain degree of power over the other (the system of checks and balances), and all take part in the governmental process.

The highest executive power in the United States is vested in the President of the USA, who is elected for a term of 4 years by electors of each state. The President is to carry out the programmes of the Government, to recommend much of the legislation to Congress. He is to appoint Federal Judges, ambassadors to other countries and heads of government departments, called secretaries.

The legislative power belongs to Congress of the United States consisting of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. There are 100 Senators and 435 representatives. In order to become a law all bills must pass both the Houses and must be signed by the President.

The Supreme Court is the highest judicial organ of the United States and the head of the judicial branch of power. The Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice and 8 Associate Justices. The Supreme Court watches over the other two branches. It determines whether or not their laws and acts are in accordance with the Constitution. A decision of the Supreme Court cannot be appealed to any other court. Neither the President no Congress can change its decision.

Each state has a constitution similar to the Constitution of the entire nation. The head of each state is the governor of the state. Each state has its own system of courts similar to that of the Federal courts.