U.S. Constitution and Amendments

The U.S. Constitution establishes the structure of federal power and protects individual liberties through 27 amendments.

Your Core Freedoms and Rights

The First Amendment protects freedoms of speech, press, and religion, but these have surprising limits and common myths. It also shapes movies and music today. The Second Amendment sparks debate, with states differing on gun laws and covered weapons.

Your Rights When Facing the Criminal Justice System

The Fifth Amendment offers safeguards against self-incrimination and double jeopardy, despite loopholes. The Sixth Amendment ensures you face your accuser. The Seventh Amendment secures jury trials, even against corporations. The Eighth Amendment bars excessive fines and cruel punishment, including debates on teen sentencing and the death penalty.

Hidden Rights and the Balance of Power

The Ninth Amendment covers unenumerated rights like digital privacy and marriage. The Tenth Amendment reserves powers for states.

By GovFacts
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All Articles on U.S. Constitution and Amendments

How States Catch Criminals Across Borders

Few sections of the Constitution are as practical and consequential in their daily application as Article IV. While other articles…

By
GovFacts

How Article IV Guarantees Your Rights

While the first three articles of the Constitution establish what the federal government can do, Article IV addresses something more…

By
GovFacts

How the Constitution Guarantees Your Rights in Every State

Often overshadowed by the Bill of Rights or the articles establishing the three branches of government, Article IV of the…

By
GovFacts

Treason: The Only Crime Defined in the Constitution

Only one crime appears in the text of the Constitution itself: treason. This status reflects both the gravity of betraying…

By
GovFacts

Should Federal Judges Serve Until Death?

At the heart of American government is a judiciary designed to operate independently from political pressure. This independence stems from…

By
Alison O'Leary

The Presidential Pardon Power

The presidential pardon power is one of the most sweeping authorities granted by the Constitution—a near-monarchical prerogative that can override…

By
GovFacts

Article II of the Constitution: The President’s Powers and Duties Explained

Few Americans fully understand the constitutional foundation that defines presidential power. Article II of the Constitution serves as the executive…

By
Barri Segal

The Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution

In Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, the Commerce Clause states that Congress shall have power "to regulate Commerce…

By
GovFacts