Founding Charter

The Seven Articles

The original body of the Constitution, ratified in 1788, sets up the three branches of the federal government and the rules that bind them together.

Establishes Congress — a House and a Senate — and enumerates its lawmaking powers in Section 8.

Vests executive power in a President, sets eligibility and term, and defines the office's core powers.

Creates "one supreme Court" and authorizes Congress to establish the lower federal courts beneath it.

Requires states to honor each other's public acts, extradite fugitives, and guarantees a republican form of government.

Sets the two-thirds and three-fourths thresholds required to propose and ratify a constitutional amendment.

Declares the Constitution and federal law "the supreme Law of the Land," binding on every state judge.

Set the terms under which the Constitution took effect once nine of the thirteen states ratified it.