Congress may not establish a religion, restrict free speech or press freedom, or deprive citizens of rights to assemble peacefully or petition the government.
An individual charged with a crime is entitled to due legal process, cannot be tried twice for the same offense, and cannot be compelled to testify against him- or herself. The government cannot seize private property without just compensation.
An individual accused of a crime has the right to a speedy trial by an impartial jury, to be informed of the charges, to confront witnesses, and be assisted by legal counsel.
Powers not delegated to the U.S. federal government by the Constitution are reserved to state governments and to the people.
This document, more than 200 years old, is the framework by which America is governed today. The words are rarely modified, but their applicability changes throughout history.
Podcast
Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor discusses the Constitution’s origins.
The U.S. Constitution establishes a federal government in which each branch operates independently of the others (separation of powers) but in which the powers of each are restricted by the others and power is not concentrated in any one branch (checks and balances). (See “Checks and Balances.”)