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Topics and Concepts in the Constitution

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Full text of the Constitution

Resource(s) on Debt


 

Topic: Debt
Annotation: The Constitution explains how the United States government will account for its debt.

 

Citation and Text from the Constitution:

Article 1, Section 10, Clause 1
No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.

 

Article 6, Section 1
All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

 

Amendment 14, Section 4
The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2002  John K. Lee
This site is maintained and operated by John K. Lee jklee@gsu.edu
Last Modified: 02/03/02

This project was completed with a generous grant from the Robert H. Michel Civic Education Grants offered through the Dirksen Congressional Center

Georgia State University Social Studies