1. Go to the Article I link. Why did the Framers of the Constitution list the power to tax first?
They did this in order to emphasize an aspect that was not in the Articles of Confederation. It was a huge problem that was found in the previous constitution as Congress didn’t have the power to tax which made them unable to do much.
2. With respect to clause three how did the courts interpret it early in the life of the Republic?
They read it broadly. They allowed the central government to monitor and regulate economic activity of all kinds. For example, they set the national minimum wage.
3. What is one of the things clause four does?
It gives Congress the power to create the process for an immigrant to become an American citizen. One can argue that the idea that America is a nation of immigrants is located in the Constitution.
4. In clause five what happened with the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913?
<The creation of the Federal Reserve Bank in 1913 transferred most of the power which would upset the value of the dollar. Congress would also get to set the standards of weights and measures.
5. In clause seven how was the Post Office described in the first century of the Republic's existence?
They describe it as the largest and most crucial institution in the federal government. Congress had the power to set up Post Offices and build roads to connect them.
6. In clause ten what became relevant again in the early twenty first century?
Piracy became renewed in 2009 as Somali pirates started to targeting merchant ships off the Horn of Africa.
7. What is the weird power that clause eleven grants Congress?
The bizzare power it allows is the power to hire pirates to attack the enemies of the nations. The “Letter of Marque” is the letter that gives the pirate official permission to advance
8. In clause twelve what is Congress prohibited from doing with respect to the army?
They prohibit Congress from funding military operations more than two years in the future.
9. In clause sixteen how is control over the militia structured?
It is divided between Congress and the regional state governments. If the militia is called into national service, Congress funds it and controls the actions. The states retain control over who serves as its officers and how the men are trained.
10. What has clause eighteen been used for?
<It is the “elastic clause” and the basis for all the legislative branch’s implied powers. It has been used to justify the gradual expansion in the general power of Congress and the entire federal government.