State Governments

In addition to the articles mentioned above, which specify the structure and duties of the federal government's branches, there are several more articles which place limits on federal and state governments, and a number of amendments, which grant legal protections to the people, modify the existing structure in minor ways, or dispense grants and limits on governmental authority.

The fourth article of the federal constitution declares that the states shall honor the official acts of all other states, and that the citizens of each state have equal rights in comparison to citizens of other states. It also provides for extradition, meaning that criminals fleeing justice shall be transported back to the state were they committed the crime to stand trial, and that all states must be protected from attack with federal protection. Lastly, it states that new states may be formed and recognized by Congress, and that the Congress shall govern any sovereign territory not found within a state.

Article Five provides for the process of Amending the Constitution, which can be accomplished a number of ways. Either two thirds of both houses of Congress or a convention authorized by two thirds of the state legislatures may propose amendments to the states, which must be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures to become a part of the Constitution. Or, the states may convene conventions to approve of proposed amendments as approved above, provided the conventions in three-fourths of the states approve. With minor exceptions, these Amendments will then become an integral part of the Constitution.

Articles six and seven state that the Constitution is the Supreme law of the land, that all officers of the federal government must be bound by oath to support it (but not with any religious test of qualification). Also, nine states were required to approve and ratify the document, and did so fairly quickly.