Hello and welcome to a history of the United States. Episode 161, The Constitution. We, the people of the

United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure 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 1, section 1. All legislative powers herein, shall be vested in a Congress of the United

States, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives. Section 2. The House of

Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states, and the electors

in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch

of the state legislature. No person shall be a representative who shall not have attained

to the age of 25 years, and have been seven years a citizen in the United States,

and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state in which he shall be chosen.

Representatives and direct taxes shall be appointed among the several states which may be included within this union, according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all

other persons. The actual enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting

of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of 10 years, in such manner

as they shall by law direct.

The number of representatives shall not exceed one for every 30,000, but each state shall have

at least one representative, and until such enumeration shall be made, the state of New Hampshire

shall be entitled to choose three, Massachusetts 8, Rhode Island

and Providence Plantations 1, Connecticut 5, New York 6, New Jersey 4, Pennsylvania 8, Delaware 1,

Maryland 6, Virginia 10, North Carolina 5, South Carolina 5, and Georgia 3. When vacancies happen in the representation

from any state, the executive authority thereof shall issue rits of election to fill such

vacancies. The House of Representatives shall choose their speaker and other officers and shall

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