to trial by jury, "a right peaceably to assemble, consideration of their grievances, and petition the King," and other rights which they had been denied. The petition was ignored, and soon afterward fighting broke out at Concord and Lexington. In June 1776, a resolution was introduced in the Continental Congress, and a month later, the Thirteen United Colonies declared themselves free and independent. Their announcement was truly revolutionary. They listed a long number of abuses they had suffered, and justified their independence in the historic words We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain Inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The newly independent States joined in a united government under the Articles of Confederation, which was our Nation's first Constitution. But it soon became clear that the Articles of Confederation did not adequately provide for a working, efficient government. In May 1787, a convention of delegates, meeting in Philadelphia with the approval of Congress, began to consider amendments to the articles. But the delegates realized that a new system of government was necessary. After much debate, and several heated arguments, a compromise Constitution was agreed upon. Although now we honor the wisdom of the delegates, they themselves had a different opinion of their work. Many were dissatisfied, and a few even thought a new Constitution should be written. No delegate from Rhode Island attended the convention nor signed the document on September 17, 1787, when the proposed Constitution was announced. Delaware was the first State to accept it, on December 7, 1787, and by a unanimous vote. Not all States were as pleased, and for a while it was not clear that sufficient States would ratify. In some States the vote was extremely close. A major argument against ratification was the absence of a Bill of Rights. Only after it became generally agreed that the first order of business of the new government would be to propose amendments for a Bill of Rights was acceptance of the Constitution obtained by a sufficient number of States. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth State, and by the end of July the important States of Virginia and New York joined. North Carolina and Rhode Island, however, withheld ratification pending the addition of guarantees protecting civil liberties. On September 25, 1789, the first Congress proposed 12 amendments and on December 15, 1791, the 10 we know as the Bill of Rights became part of the Constitution. Since that date, they have served as the testimony of our Nation to its belief in the basic and inalienable rights of the people, and in the limitations on the power of government. Together with the provisions of the original Constitution, they protect that great body of liberties which belong to every citizen. APPENDIX CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES WE THE PEOPLE of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, 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. ARTICLE 1 SECTION 1. All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives. SECTION 2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature. No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty-five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen. **[Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.]. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one 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 Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three. When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such vacancies. The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment. SECTION 3. **The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, [chosen by the Legislature] thereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote. 'Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the Second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one-third may be chosen every second Year; [and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies].*** 'No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen. The part included in heavy brackets was repealed by section 2 of amendment XIV. to trial by jury, "a right peaceably to assemble, consideration of their grievances, and petition the King," and other rights which they had been denied. The petition was ignored, and soon afterward fighting broke out at Concord and Lexington. In June 1776, a resolution was introduced in the Continental Congress, and a month later, the Thirteen United Colonies declared themselves free and independent. Their announcement was truly revolutionary. They listed a long number of abuses they had suffered, and justified their independence in the historic words We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain Inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The newly independent States joined in a united government under the Articles of Confederation, which was our Nation's first Constitution. But it soon became clear that the Articles of Confederation did not adequately provide for a working, efficient government. In May 1787, a convention of delegates, meeting in Philadelphia with the approval of Congress, began to consider amendments to the articles. But the delegates realized that a new system of government was necessary. After much debate, and several heated arguments, a compromise Constitution was agreed upon. Although now we honor the wisdom of the delegates, they themselves had a different opinion of their work. Many were dissatisfied, and a few even thought a new Constitution should be written. No delegate from Rhode Island attended the convention nor signed the document on September 17, 1787, when the proposed Constitution was announced. Delaware was the first State to accept it, on December 7, 1787, and by a unanimous vote. Not all States were as pleased, and for a while it was not clear that sufficient States would ratify. In some States the vote was extremely close. A major argument against ratification was the absence of a Bill of Rights. Only after it became generally agreed that the first order of business of the new government would be to propose amendments for a Bill of Rights was acceptance of the Constitution obtained by a sufficient number of States. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth State, and by the end of July the important States of Virginia and New York joined. North Carolina and Rhode Island, however, withheld ratification pending the addition of guarantees protecting civil liberties. On September 25, 1789, the first Congress proposed 12 amendments and on December 15, 1791, the 10 we know as the Bill of Rights became part of the Constitution. Since that date, they have served as the testimony of our Nation to its belief in the basic and inalienable rights of the people, and in the limitations on the power of government. Together with the provisions of the original Constitution, they protect that great body of liberties which belong to every citizen. APPENDIX CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES WE THE PEOPLE of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, 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. ARTICLE 1 SECTION 1. All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives. SECTION 2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature. No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty-five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen. 3 *[Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.]. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one 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 Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three. * When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such vacancies. The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment. 1 SECTION 3. **The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, [chosen by the Legislature] thereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote. * Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the Second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one-third may be chosen every second Year; [and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies].*** No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen. The part included in heavy brackets was repealed by section 2 of amendment XIV. The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided. 5 The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States. The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two-thirds of the Members present. 7 Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust, or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment, and Punishment, according to Law. SECTION 4. The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for 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. 2 The Congress shall assembly 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. 2 Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behavior, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member. 3 Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such Parts as may in their Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas and Nays of the Members of either House on any question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be entered on the Journal. Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other Place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting. SECTION 6. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place. 2 No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been encreased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during his Continuance in Office. SECTION 7.1 All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills. 2 Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; if he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law. *The part included in heavy brackets was changed by section 2 of amendment XX. |