front 1 Bill of Attainder | back 1 Congress cannot pass a law that singles out a person for punishment without trial |
front 2 Commerce Clause | back 2 Congress can regulate trade between nations, between states, and among Indian tribes |
front 3 Contracts Clause | back 3 No state can interfere with the execution of contracts. For example, a state could not pass a law that declares all debts to be null and void |
front 4 Due Process 5th Amendment | back 4 The national gov. must observe fair procedures when it denies a person life, liberty, or property |
front 5 Due Process 14th Amendment | back 5 State govs. must observe fair procedures when they deny a person life, liberty, or property |
front 6 Elastic Clause | back 6 Congress can exercise powers not specifically stated in the Constitution if those powers are "necessary and proper" for carrying out it's expressed powers that are specifically states |
front 7 Equal Protection Clause | back 7 States cannot unreasonably discriminate against individuals. They must treat people "equally" |
front 8 Establishment Clause | back 8 Congress cannot establish an "official" religion. This, in effect, provides for separation of church and state |
front 9 Ex Post Facto Clause | back 9 Congress cannot pass a law that punishes a person retroactively, i.e., after the fact. In other words, a person cannot be punished for something he/she did that was not a crime when committed |
front 10 Extradition Clause | back 10 An accused person who flees to another state must be returned to the state in which he/she allegedly committed the crime |
front 11 Free Exercise Clause | back 11 Congress cannot pass laws that ban freedom of worship |
front 12 Full Faith and Credit Clause | back 12 A state must recognize the validity of the public acts, records, and court decisions of other states. For example, a state must recognize as valid the birth certificate issued by another state |
front 13 Preamble | back 13 This introduction to the Constitution identifies its broad purposes |
front 14 Privileges & Immunities Clause | back 14 A state cannot unreasonably discriminate against citizens of other states |
front 15 Reserved Power Clause | back 15 Any power that is not granted to the national gov., or denied to the states, automatically reverts to the states |
front 16 Search & Seizure Clause | back 16 This is a protection against unreasonable search and seizure. The authorities do not have a general power to search and arrest individuals at any time, at any place, and in any manner; rather, they can only do so according to specified procedures that must be "reasonable" |
front 17 Supremacy Clause | back 17 Federal law is supreme over state law |
front 18 Takings Clause (Eminent Domain) | back 18 Gov. can take private property for a public purpose, but it must provide fair compensation to the owners of that property |