Article I: The Legislative Branch

Article I opens by vesting all legislative powers herein granted in a Congress of a Senate and a House of Representatives, and its ten sections make up more than half the original Constitution. Sections 2 and 3 set the composition, terms, and qualifications of each chamber, give the House the power of impeachment and the Senate the power to try impeachments, and make the Vice President president of the Senate. Sections 4 through 6 cover elections, rules, journals, pay, and the Speech or Debate Clause protecting members for legislative acts.

Section 7 sets out lawmaking: revenue bills originate in the House, and every bill must pass both chambers and be presented to the President for signature or veto. Section 8 lists Congress's enumerated powers, including taxing and spending, borrowing, regulating commerce, naturalization, bankruptcy, coining money, post offices, patents and copyrights, creating lower courts, declaring war, raising armies and a navy, and governing the national capital, ending with the Necessary and Proper Clause.

Section 9 limits Congress. It may not suspend habeas corpus except in rebellion or invasion, pass bills of attainder or ex post facto laws, tax exports, favor one state's ports, spend money without an appropriation, or grant titles of nobility, and federal officials may not accept foreign emoluments without congressional consent. Section 10 limits the states, barring them from making treaties, coining money, impairing contracts, taxing imports, or keeping troops in peacetime without Congress's consent.