18 Powers of Congress

Taxes

lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises

Borrowing

borrowing money for the U.S.

Commerce

regulate trade with foreign countries

Naturalization; bankruptcy

foreigners become citizens, person or business can't pay its debts

Coins; weights; measures

to coin money, it must have a value

Counterfeiting

making an imitation of U.S. money

Post Offices

Gov. has power to set up and control delivery of mail

copy rights patents

protects authors and inventors; makes them owners of their work for a limited amount of time

federal courts

CHECK AND BALANCE, gov. can set up lower federal court under supreme court

piracy

gov. can punish robbing of ships at sea

declaration of war

only congress can declare war, granted at request of President

army, navy, rules for the military

U.S. gov places these things under control of Congress, congress decides on size, money used and writes rules to govern forces

militia

body of citizen soldiers, suppresses insurrections and foreign invasions

rules for the Militia

Congress has power to create laws and rules, appoints officers etc.

National capital

congress controls district around nation's capital

necessary laws

Congresss can make laws as needed, "elastic clause", or "necessary and proper clause

writ of habeas corpus

court order, requires gov. officials to bring a prisoner to court and explain why they are being held, prevents unlawful imprisonment

bill of attainder

all of the laws

ex post facto

can't make a low and blame you if you did it years ago, enacted after the fact