Pocket Constitution: The Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States, and Amendments to the Constitution PDF
Preview Pocket Constitution: The Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States, and Amendments to the Constitution
Pocket Constitution The Declaration of Independence The Constitution of the United States The Bill of Rights Amendments XI–XXVII Legislative Process Flowchart Legislationmaybeginineitherchamber. Similarproposalsareoftenintroducedinbothchambers. Measureintroduced Measureintroduced intheHouse intheSenate Measurereferredto Measurereferredto committee,whichholds committee,whichholds hearingsandreports hearingsandreports measuretotheHouse measuretotheSenate OR Forimportant measures,specialrule reportedbytheRules Committeeandadopted bytheHouse Leadershipschedules Leadershipschedules measureforfloor measureforfloor consideration consideration Housedebatesand Senatedebatesand canamendmeasure canamendmeasure Housepassesmeasure Senatepassesmeasure MeasuresmustpassboththeHouseandtheSenate inidenticalformbeforebeingpresentedtothePresident. Onechamber Eachchamberappoints Houseand agreesto Memberstoaconference Senateexchange theother OR committee,whichreconciles OR amendmentsto chamber’s differencesandagreesto billandreach version aconferencereport agreement Houseapprovesconferencereport Senateapprovesconferencereport LegislationpresentedtothePresident. President IfPresidentdoesnot President signs signmeasureintolaw vetoes measure within10days measure Measure IfCongressis IfCongressis Measuredoes becomeslaw insession, notinsession, notbecomelaw, measure measure unless becomeslaw doesnot bothchambers becomelaw overridevetoby (“pocketveto”) 2/3majority Sources:U.S.Senate;U.S.HouseofRepresentatives;andtheCongressionalDeskbook byMichaelKoempelandJudySchneider.Copyright©2009byTheCapitol.Net,Inc. AllRightsReserved.202-678-1600www.TheCapitol.Net Pocket Constitution The Declaration of Independence 1 ........ The Constitution of the United States 9 ..... The Bill of Rights 29 ....... Amendments XI–XXVII 33 .................. Copyright©2009byTheCapitol.Net POBox25706 Alexandria,VA 22313 www.thecapitol.net ISBN:978-1-58733-178-7 SinglecopiesofthispocketConstitutionareavailableatnochargebysendinga self-addressedstampedbusiness(#10)envelope(SASBE)withfirstclasspostage fortwo(2)ouncesto:TheCapitol.Net,PocketConstitution,POBox25706, Alexandria,VA22313-5706.Requestswithinsufficientpostagewillbereturned. Nophone,fax,oremailrequestswillbeaccepted. ThispocketConstitutionisavailableforbulkpurchase, inmultiplesof50copies,at<www.TCNConst.com>. TheCapitol.Net Since1999,TheCapitol.Nethasbeenhelpingpeople understandhowWashingtonandCongresswork. TheCapitol.Netisanon-partisanbusinessderivedfrom CongressionalQuarterly,whichofferedmanyofthe samecoursesandworkshopssincethe1970s. Instructionincludestopicsonthelegislativeand budgetprocess,congressionaloperations,public andforeignpolicydevelopment,advocacyand mediatraining,businessetiquetteandwriting. Alltrainingincludescoursematerials. 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Non-partisantrainingandpublicationsthatshowhowWashingtonworks.™ POBox25706,Alexandria,VA22313-5706 703-739-3790 www.TheCapitol.Net The Declaration of Independence IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. TheunanimousDeclarationofthe thirteenunitedStatesofAmerica, WhenintheCourseofhumanevents,itbecomes necessaryforonepeopletodissolvethepolitical bandswhichhaveconnectedthemwithanother, andtoassumeamongthepowersoftheearth,the separateandequalstationtowhichtheLawsof NatureandofNature’sGodentitlethem,adecent respecttotheopinionsofmankindrequiresthat theyshoulddeclarethecauseswhichimpelthem totheseparation. Weholdthesetruthstobeself-evident,thatallmen arecreatedequal,thattheyareendowedbytheir Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that amongtheseareLife,Libertyandthepursuitof Happiness.—Thattosecuretheserights,Govern- mentsareinstitutedamongMen,derivingtheirjust powersfromtheconsentofthegoverned,—That wheneveranyFormofGovernmentbecomesde- structiveoftheseends,itistheRightofthePeople toalterortoabolishit,andtoinstitutenewGov- ernment,layingitsfoundationonsuchprinciples andorganizingitspowersinsuchform,astothem shallseemmostlikelytoeffecttheirSafetyand 1 www.TheCapitol.Net Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and ac- cordinglyallexperiencehathshewn,thatmankind aremoredisposedtosuffer,whileevilsaresuffer- able, than to right themselves by abolishing the formstowhichtheyareaccustomed.Butwhena longtrainofabusesandusurpations,pursuingin- variablythesameObjectevincesadesigntore- ducethemunderabsoluteDespotism,itistheir right, it is their duty, to throw off such Govern- ment,andtoprovidenewGuardsfortheirfuture security.—Suchhasbeenthepatientsufferanceof these Colonies; and such is now the necessity whichconstrainsthemtoaltertheirformerSys- temsofGovernment.Thehistoryofthepresent KingofGreatBritainisahistoryofrepeatedin- juriesandusurpations,allhavingindirectobject the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over theseStates.Toprovethis,letFactsbesubmitted toacandidworld. HehasrefusedhisAssenttoLaws,themost wholesomeandnecessaryforthepublic good. HehasforbiddenhisGovernorstopass Lawsofimmediateandpressingimportance, unlesssuspendedintheiroperationtillhis Assentshouldbeobtained;andwhenso suspended,hehasutterlyneglectedto attendtothem. HehasrefusedtopassotherLawsforthe accommodationoflargedistrictsofpeople, unlessthosepeoplewouldrelinquishthe www.TheCapitol.Net 2 rightofRepresentationintheLegislature, arightinestimabletothemandformidable totyrantsonly. Hehascalledtogetherlegislativebodiesat placesunusual,uncomfortable,anddistant fromthedepositoryoftheirpublicRecords, forthesolepurposeoffatiguingtheminto compliancewithhismeasures. HehasdissolvedRepresentativeHouses repeatedly,foropposingwithmanlyfirmness hisinvasionsontherightsofthepeople. Hehasrefusedforalongtime,aftersuch dissolutions,tocauseotherstobeelected; wherebytheLegislativepowers,incapable ofAnnihilation,havereturnedtothe Peopleatlargefortheirexercise;the Stateremaininginthemeantimeexposed toallthedangersofinvasionfromwithout, andconvulsionswithin. Hehasendeavouredtopreventthe populationoftheseStates;forthatpurpose obstructingtheLawsforNaturalization ofForeigners;refusingtopassothers toencouragetheirmigrationshither, andraisingtheconditionsofnew AppropriationsofLands. HehasobstructedtheAdministrationof Justice,byrefusinghisAssenttoLawsfor establishingJudiciarypowers. HehasmadeJudgesdependentonhisWill alone,forthetenureoftheiroffices,and theamountandpaymentoftheirsalaries. 3 www.TheCapitol.Net HehaserectedamultitudeofNewOffices, andsenthitherswarmsofOfficerstoharrass ourpeople,andeatouttheirsubstance. Hehaskeptamongus,intimesofpeace, StandingArmieswithouttheConsentof ourlegislatures. HehasaffectedtorendertheMilitary independentofandsuperiortotheCivil power. Hehascombinedwithotherstosubjectus toajurisdictionforeigntoourconstitution, andunacknowledgedbyourlaws;givinghis AssenttotheirActsofpretendedLegislation: ForQuarteringlargebodiesofarmedtroops amongus: Forprotectingthem,byamockTrial,from punishmentforanyMurderswhichthey shouldcommitontheInhabitantsofthese States: ForcuttingoffourTradewithallparts oftheworld: ForimposingTaxesonuswithoutour Consent: Fordeprivingusinmanycases,ofthe benefitsofTrialbyJury: FortransportingusbeyondSeastobe triedforpretendedoffences ForabolishingthefreeSystemof EnglishLawsinaneighbouringProvince, establishingthereinanArbitrarygovernment, www.TheCapitol.Net 4 andenlargingitsBoundariessoastorender itatonceanexampleandfitinstrumentfor introducingthesameabsoluteruleintothese Colonies: FortakingawayourCharters,abolishing ourmostvaluableLaws,andaltering fundamentallytheFormsofour Governments: ForsuspendingourownLegislatures,and declaringthemselvesinvestedwithpower tolegislateforusinallcaseswhatsoever. HehasabdicatedGovernmenthere,by declaringusoutofhisProtectionand wagingWaragainstus. Hehasplunderedourseas,ravagedour Coasts,burntourtowns,anddestroyed thelivesofourpeople. HeisatthistimetransportinglargeArmies offoreignMercenariestocompleatthe worksofdeath,desolationandtyranny, alreadybegunwithcircumstancesof Cruelty&perfidyscarcelyparalleledin themostbarbarousages,andtotally unworthytheHeadofacivilizednation. HehasconstrainedourfellowCitizens takenCaptiveonthehighSeastobear ArmsagainsttheirCountry,tobecomethe executionersoftheirfriendsandBrethren, ortofallthemselvesbytheirHands. Hehasexciteddomesticinsurrections amongstus,andhasendeavouredto 5 www.TheCapitol.Net bringontheinhabitantsofourfrontiers,the mercilessIndianSavages,whoseknownrule ofwarfare,isanundistinguisheddestruction ofallages,sexesandconditions. IneverystageoftheseOppressionsWehavePeti- tionedforRedressinthemosthumbleterms:Our repeatedPetitionshavebeenansweredonlybyre- peated injury. A Prince whose character is thus markedbyeveryactwhichmaydefineaTyrant,is unfittobetherulerofafreepeople. Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittishbrethren.Wehavewarnedthemfromtime totimeofattemptsbytheirlegislaturetoextend anunwarrantablejurisdictionoverus.Wehavere- mindedthemofthecircumstancesofouremigra- tion and settlement here. We have appealed to theirnativejusticeandmagnanimity,andwehave conjuredthembythetiesofourcommonkindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would in- evitablyinterruptourconnectionsandcorrespon- dence.Theytoohavebeendeaftothevoiceofjus- tice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesceinthenecessity,whichdenouncesour Separation,andholdthem,asweholdtherestof mankind,EnemiesinWar,inPeaceFriends. We,therefore,theRepresentativesoftheunited States ofAmerica, inGeneralCongress, Assem- bled,appealingtotheSupremeJudgeoftheworld fortherectitudeofourintentions,do,intheName, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies,solemnlypublishanddeclare,Thatthese www.TheCapitol.Net 6
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