Powers of Congress online exercise for - Free Printable

You're working on a worksheet titled “Powers of Congress” from Chapter 3: The Legislative Branch. The goal is to sort the given phrases into two categories:

✔ Things Congress Is Allowed to Do
✘ Things Congress Is Not Allowed to Do

This is based on the U.S. Constitution — specifically Article I, which outlines the powers and limits of Congress.

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✔ Things Congress IS Allowed to Do (Constitutional Powers)

These are powers explicitly granted to Congress by the U.S. Constitution (mostly in Article I, Section 8):

1. declare war — ✔ (Article I, Section 8, Clause 11)
2. ask for and collect federal taxes — ✔ (Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 — “power to lay and collect Taxes”)
3. build an army and a navy — ✔ (Article I, Section 8, Clauses 12–13 — “raise and support Armies,” “provide and maintain a Navy”)
4. make laws about naturalization — ✔ (Article I, Section 8, Clause 4 — “establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization”)
5. make laws to help carry out expressed powers — ✔ (Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 — “Necessary and Proper Clause” or “Elastic Clause”)
6. help run the government of Washington, D.C. — ✔ (Article I, Section 8, Clause 17 — Congress has exclusive legislative authority over the District of Columbia)

> 💡 *Note: “pass bills of attainder” and “take away the right to habeas corpus” are NOT allowed — see below.*

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✘ Things Congress IS NOT Allowed to Do (Constitutional Limits)

These are actions prohibited by the Constitution (mostly in Article I, Section 9):

1. make ex post facto laws — ✘ (Article I, Section 9, Clause 3 — prohibits retroactive criminal laws)
2. pass bills of attainder — ✘ (Article I, Section 9, Clause 3 — prohibits legislative punishment without trial)
3. give people titles of nobility — ✘ (Article I, Section 9, Clause 8 — Congress cannot grant noble titles)
4. pass laws that go against the Constitution — ✘ (Implied by Supremacy Clause — Article VI — no law can violate the Constitution)
5. put taxes on exports — ✘ (Article I, Section 9, Clause 5 — “No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State”)
6. take away the right to habeas corpus — ✘ (Article I, Section 9, Clause 2 — can only be suspended in cases of rebellion or invasion — not arbitrarily)

> ⚖️ *Habeas corpus can be suspended during rebellion or invasion — but Congress cannot just “take it away” at will. So this phrase implies illegal suspension, hence it belongs in “Not Allowed.”*

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## ✔ Final Answer:

Things Congress Is Allowed to Do

1. declare war
2. ask for and collect federal taxes
3. build an army and a navy
4. make laws about naturalization
5. make laws to help carry out expressed powers
6. help run the government of Washington, D.C.

Things Congress Is Not Allowed to Do

1. make ex post facto laws
2. pass bills of attainder
3. give people titles of nobility
4. pass laws that go against the Constitution
5. put taxes on exports
6. take away the right to habeas corpus

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📌 Tip for Students: Remember — Congress’s powers come from the Constitution, and the Constitution also sets clear limits to prevent abuse of power. This separation and balance is key to American democracy!

Let me know if you want this turned into a printable answer sheet!