Exploring the Constitution, Part 5: A Study Outline

Our first look at a legal document like the Constitution can be intimidating. The language is obviously more formal than what we are used to in everyday communications. There are no descriptive headings: the text is divided into articles and amendments, and subdivided into sections, all numbered.

The wording may appear to be starched and archaic, but it expresses ideas that are as vital to the survival of our liberties today as they were at the time of our nations's birth. It is well worth getting past these barriers to get into the text.

The best way to tackle a formidable task is to break it into manageable pieces. When reading or writing a complicated document, the method of choice is to create an outline. This exercise can convert our numbered articles and sections into meaningful headings and subheadings. We can then study the document in pieces small enough to digest at one sitting (and without straining the space available for one of these columns). That sead, here is a proposed outline of the U.S. Constitution.

Preamble. The Purpose of the Constitution

Article I. The Legislative Branch

Section 1. Grant of All Legislative Powers to Congress
Section 2. The House of Representatives
Section 3. The Senate
Sections 4 & 5. Election of Legislators, and Procedural Matters
Section 6. Payment of Senators and Representatives
Section 7. Procedure for Creating Laws
Section 8. Enumeration of All Powers Granted to Congress
Section 9. Specific Limitations on Congress
Section 10. Specific State Powers Given Up to Congress

Article II. The Executive Branch

Section 1. The President and the Electoral Process
Sections 2 & 3. Enumeration of All Powers Granted to the President
Section 4. Impeachment of Civil Officers

Article III. The Judicial Branch

Section 1. The Federal Courts
Section 2. Jurisdiction and Trial by Jury
Section 3. Treason

Article IV. The Federal Relationship

Section 1. States to Respect Each Others' Acts
Section 2. Interstate Treatment of Citizens
Section 3. U.S Territories and New States
Section 4. Duties of the U.S. Government Toward the States

Article V. Process for Amending the Constitution

Article VI. Miscellaneous

Section 1. Responsibility for Debts
Section 2. Supremacy of Federal Law and Treaties
Section 3. Oaths of Office to Support the Constitution

Article VII. Ratification of the Constitution

Amendments I - X. The Bill of Rights

Other Amendments -- to be discussed in the sections of the Constitution which they amend.

In the outline presented above, I have assigned a title to each article and section. The wording of these titles necessarily reflects my own understanding of the purpose of each section, and may conflict with your understanding. You should study the text yourself and perhaps assign your own titles. In future columns, I may be referring to this outline to keep all of the columns tied together. If you plan to follow the discussion, it might be a good idea to bookmark the outline for reference.