# CONSTITUTIONAL BASIS FOR THE U.S. ARMY

Department of Defense - Description: THIS PROGRAM EXAMINES THE ORIGINS OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, WHICH EVERY SOLDIER SWEARS TO UPHOLD AND DEFEND. THE PROVISIONS WHICH DEAL WITH CREATION AND CONTROL OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY ARE HIGHLIGHTED. PROVIDES A HISTORY OF THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION, NOTING ITS WEAKNESSES WHICH CAUSED PROBLEMS FOR GENERAL WASHINGTON'S CONTINENTAL ARMY. AS TENSION BETWEEN THE THIRTEEN STATES GREW, A MEETING AT ANNAPOLIS CALLED FOR THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION AT PHILADELPHIA IN MAY 1787. BRITISH AND FRENCH INFLUENCE ON THE FRAMERS IS EXPLAINED. PORTRAYS DEBATES AMONG DELEGATES REGARDING THE NEED FOR A STANDING ARMY UNDER CONTROL OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. POINTS OUT THOSE ARTICLES WHICH PERTAIN TO THE ARMY AND IDENTIFIES 23 SIGNERS AS VETERANS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. NOTES THE DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED IN RATIFICATION BY ALL THE STATES. EXPLAINS SEPARATION OF POWER BETWEEN CONGRESS, THE PRESIDENT AND THE SUPREME COURT AS IT APPLIES TO THE ARMY. THE CONSTITUTION IS A LIVING DOCUMENT WHIH CHECKS AND BALANCES WHICH PROVIDE FOR AN ENLIGHTENED AND EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT. - PIN 707389

- Kind: Educational
- Year: 1987
- By: Department of Defense
- Genres: Education
- Archive: [Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/gov.dod.dimoc.707389)
- Licence or status: [CC0 1.0](http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) (as the archive states it)
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (the archive gives no rating; placed by Invisible Network from its collection and subjects)

Not offered: its uploader or archive marks it public domain, and nothing the site holds bears that out (its record gives no year, or a year from 1978 on, which no US term has left), so where it is free is not known. Unclear is not offered.