LEA 1ere Anne : UE 2 Culture Contemporaine Anglophone 1

2011/2012

Cours de C.Chambost
S1
S2
S3
S4

Civilisation Amricaine
Cours de N.Labarre
S5
S6
S7

S8

Cours de Y. Grandjeat
S9
S10 S11 S12

COURSE SUMMARY THE U.S. CONSTITUTION

The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of
the United States of America and is the oldest written
constitution still in use by any nation in the world. It is
the framework for the organization of the United States
government and for the relationship of the federal government
with the states, citizens, and all people within the United
States. As such, it holds a central place in United States law
and political culture.
It consists of a preamble ( We the People of the United
States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish
Justice, insure domestic Tranquillity, 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 ), seven articles, twenty-seven amendments, and a
paragraph certifying its enactment by the constitutional
convention.
The first three Articles of the Constitution establish the
three branches of the national government: a legislature, the
bicameral Congress; an executive branch led by the President;
and a judicial branch headed by the Supreme Court. They also
specify the powers and duties of each branch. All unenumerated
powers are reserved to the respective states and the people,
thereby establishing the federal system of government.
The Constitution was adopted on September 17, 1787 by the
Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and
ratified by conventions in each U.S. state in the name of The
People.
The framers of the Constitution were aware that changes would
be necessary if the Constitution was to endure as the nation
grew. However, they were also conscious that such change
should not be easy, lest it permit ill-conceived and hastily
passed amendments. Their solution was a two-step process for
proposing and ratifying new amendments.
Amending the Constitution is a two-part process: amendments
must be proposed then ratified. Amendments can be proposed by
a two-thirds vote in each house of Congress (over 10,000
constitutional amendments have been introduced in Congress
since 1789) or by calling for a constitutional convention
which would have the power to propose amendments. As no such
convention has been called, it is unclear how one would work
in practice. Regardless of how the amendment is proposed, it
must also be ratified by three-fourths of states.
1

LEA 1ere Anne : UE 2 Culture Contemporaine Anglophone 1

2011/2012

Cours de C.Chambost
S1
S2
S3
S4

Civilisation Amricaine
Cours de N.Labarre
S5
S6
S7

S8

Cours de Y. Grandjeat
S9
S10 S11 S12

So far, the U.S. Constitution has been amended 27 times; the

first ten amendments are known as the Bill of Rights.