Sections One, Two and Three

• Section One names the legislative branch as Congress, which encompasses the House and the Senate. Sections Two and Three describe the House and the Senate in sequence. The allowable number of members in each Congressional branch are discussed, as well as what qualifies a person to be a member of each branch. Methods of choosing leaders within the House and Senate are also discussed.
  
  

Sections Four and Five

• Sections Four and Five discuss elections, meetings, membership, rules and journals of the legislative branch of government. The states are able to hold elections for representatives whenever desired, however, it is required that Congress meet once a year. Each house is given the ability, through Section Five, to hold meetings with absentee members, remove a member through vote, and is instructed to keep a journal of proceedings. Section Five also dictates that neither the House or the Senate may adjourn for more than three days without informing each other.
  
  

Section Six

• Section Six dictates compensation and law immunity for senators. The compensation is distributed directly from the United States Treasury. A senator is immune from arrest unless treason, felony or breach of peace are committed. Section Six also dictates that a senator may not hold any other government office.
  
  

Sections Seven and Eight

• Sections Seven and Eight discuss the powers of Congress regarding bills, laws and federal monies and protection. Congress needs to help move bills through to laws or presidential vetoes. Congress is responsible for the federal Treasury through borrowing money in the name of the United States and coining money, among other monetary responsibilities. Congress is also responsible for creating and maintaining a militia and a navy to protect interests regarding the United States.
  
  

Sections Nine and Ten

• Sections Nine and Ten place limits on Congress as well as on individual states. No title of nobility is to be granted by the United States and taxes are not to be placed on any export from the states. The states are not allowed to coin their own money or secede from the nation. Congress is also not allowed to pass bills of attainder or ex post facto.
  
  

Amendments

• It is important to remember the amendments to the Constitution when reviewing the first article. Some points in the first article, such as taxation on state exports, have been changed through amendments. There are 27 Constitutional amendments. Compare the amendments to the first article before depending on the article for factual evidence of modern day American Congress proceedings.