The Constitution of the USA
The Constitution of the USA was adopted after the War of independence (1) on September 17, 1787. It lists the set of rules, laws and regulations which provide the practical norms regulating the work of the government. The main principle underlying (2) the Constitution was as follows: private property is the backbone of liberty (3). It was put forward (4) by a rich plantation owner from Virginia, James Madison, who is known to be the “Father of the Constitution”. The Constitution consists of the Preamble and seven articles. Twenty-seven amendments (5) have so far been added to its original text. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights (6), were added in 1791, as a result of growing popular demands. These amendments establish the individual rights and freedoms to all people of the States, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of worship(7), the right to peaceful assembly, etc. Some of the amendments are now relatively unimportant, but the Fifth Amendment retains its significance in the fight of the American people for their civil rights. It provides that “no person shall be deprived (8) of life, liberty or property, without due process of law (9)”, and no person “shall be compelled (10) in any criminal case to be a witness against himself”. All the amendments adopted by the Congress become an integral part of the Constitution. Mention should be made of some of them. The Thirteenth amendment abolished slavery. The Fourteenth and Fifteenth adopted in 1868 and 1870 defined citizenship and gave the vote to all male citizens, regardless of (11) race. The Nineteenth gave the vote to women, and was adopted in 1920. The Twenty-second amendment, adopted in 1951, makes it impossible for any President to hold office for more than two terms. The 26th amendment was adopted in 1971; it lowered the voting age to 18 years. Americans feel that of all freedoms proclaimed in the Constitution there is only one freedom – freedom of enterprise (12). But freedom of enterprise does not at all expand personal freedoms of all citizens. On the contrary, it limits them. Freedom of enterprise in practice means freedom of the wealthy to profit at the expense of the working man.
Notes: 1. the War of independence – война за независимость 2. underlying, adj. – лежащий в основе 3. backbone of liberty - основа свободы 4. put forward, v - выдвигать 5. amendment, n – поправка 6. the Bill of Rights – Билль о правах 7. freedom of worship – свобода вероисповедания 8. deprive, v – лишать 9. without due process of law – без обязательного судебного процесса 10. compel, v – заставлять, принуждать 11. regardless of – не взирая на … 12. enterprise, n – предпринимательство
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