title: The Constitution of the United States: A Study Guide
author:  John Chambers 
description: After completing this book, you'll have read and understood the entire U.S. Constitution! This is a study guide for a high school course in the U.S. Constitution. Throughout it are Exercises, some you can do alone but others are designed for classroom participation. The first chapters (or "lessons" if you will) familiarize the student with the purpose of, and a brief history of, governments. The remaining lessons are a reading of the Constitution itself. To understand the Constitution, one must understand differing ideas about how and why governments are formed. From John Chambers' point of view, there has been one basic controversy which existed before the Constitution was written, was debated hotly while it was being adopted, has plagued it from the beginning, and is still with us today. Political battles in the press, on talk radio and on TV still center on this controversy. You feel the effects of it today (which is probably why you feel the need to understand our Constitution better). You are trying to solve that controversy.
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  # United States Constitution
  
  
  ## Constitutional Convention (United States)
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  ### ![](Image00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
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  #### Preamble
  
  
  We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union,
  establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common
  defense, 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.
  
  
  #### Article I. The Legislative Branch
  
  
  
  
  
  [Section 1. [Legislative Power Vested]](text00035.html#section1)
  
  
    
  
  
  [Section 2. [House of Representatives]](text00035.html#section2)
  
  
    
  
  
  [Section 3. [Senate]](text00034.html#section3)
  
  
    
  
  
  [Section 4. [Elections of Senators and
  Representatives]](text00034.html#section4)
  
  
    
  
  
  [Section 5. [Rules of House and Senate]](text00029.html#section5)
  
  
    
  
  
  [Section 6. [Compensation and Privileges of Members]](text00029.html#section6)
  
  
    
  
  