Constitution, Society, and Leadership

Week 2 Unit 3 Anatomy of the

Constitution: Articles IV-VII

Christopher Dreisbach, Ph.D.Johns Hopkins University

This unit summarizes Articles IV-VII of the Constitution Article IV: States and Federal

Government Article V: Amendment Process Article VI: General Provisions Article VII: Ratification

2

Article IV has 4 sections State Records Privileges and Immunities of Citizens New States and Territories Guarantees to the States

3

This section requires each state must give every other state “full faith and credit…to “public acts, records, and judicial

proceedings.” This is known as the “Friendship Clause.” In principle, this means, for example, that

if a couple is legally married in one state, all states should recognize the marriage.

4

Every U.S. citizen has all the Constitutional rights that every other citizen has No matter what state he lives in.

A criminal suspect from one state may be extradited from another state to which he or she has fled Including escaped slaves▪ This part is known as the “Fugitive Slave

Clause”5

Congress may admit new statesAny alteration to a current state

requires consent of the state’s legislature as well as of the U.S. Congress

Congress has jurisdiction over U.S. territories and properties other than states

6

The U.S. guarantees to each state A republican form of government Protection against invasion Protection against domestic violence, if

the state authority requests it

7

Any Amendment can be made to the Constitution as along as Two-thirds of Congress agree and Three-fourths of the states agree

With two exceptions No amendment concerning slavery until

1808 No amendment denying a state its right to

have equal representation in the U.S. Senate

8

All national debt under the Articles of Confederation are valid under the Constitution.

The Constitution is the Supreme Law of the Land.

There is to be no religious test for public office.

All public officials must take an oath to support the Constitution.

9

Each state is asked to hold a convention to decide whether to ratify the Constitution.

If nine or more states ratify, then the Constitution will be established between these states.

New Hampshire was the 9th state to ratify, on June 21, 1788. Rhode Island was the final state to ratify,

on May 29, 179010

Constitution, Society, and Leadership

Week 2 Unit 3 Anatomy of the

Constitution: Articles IV-VII

Christopher Dreisbach, Ph.D.Johns Hopkins University