Article VI

E10016

Article VI of the United States Constitution establishes the supremacy of federal law, requires officials to take an oath to support the Constitution, and prohibits religious tests for public office.


Statements (47)
Predicate Object
instanceOf constitutional provision
appliesTo all public offices under the United States
federal and state officeholders
federal statutes made in pursuance of the Constitution
state offices
the United States Constitution itself
treaties made under the authority of the United States
binds state judges to the Constitution
citedAs Article VI, Clause 2
No Religious Test Clause
Oaths Clause
Supremacy Clause
contains Supremacy Clause
assumption of debts clause
no religious test clause
oaths clause
declares federal law supreme over state law
laws of the United States made in pursuance of the Constitution are supreme
the Constitution is the supreme Law of the Land
treaties made under the authority of the United States are supreme
effectiveDate June 21, 1788
ensures binding force of federal treaties on the states
constitutional supremacy over state constitutions
uniformity of constitutional obligations for officeholders
establishes Supremacy Clause
historicalContext drafted at the Constitutional Convention of 1787
influences doctrine of federal preemption
jurisdiction United States
language English
legalEffect binds state courts to apply federal law over conflicting state law
preempts state constitutional provisions that conflict with federal law made pursuant to the Constitution
locationInDocument Article VI
overrides conflicting state constitutions
conflicting state laws
partOf United States Constitution
prohibits making religious belief a condition for holding federal office
making religious belief a condition for holding state office
religious tests as a qualification for public office
requires members of Congress to take an oath to support the Constitution
members of state executive officers to take an oath to support the Constitution
members of state judicial officers to take an oath to support the Constitution
members of state legislatures to take an oath to support the Constitution
oath or affirmation to support the Constitution
officers of the United States to take an oath to support the Constitution
sectionCount 3
subjectOf constitutional law scholarship
numerous United States Supreme Court decisions

Referenced by (12)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Crosby v. National Foreign Trade Council ("Article VI of the United States Constitution")
Ware v. Hylton ("Article VI of the United States Constitution")
constitutionalProvisionInterpreted
Supremacy Clause ("Article VI of the United States Constitution")
Supremacy Clause ("Article VI, Clause 2 of the United States Constitution")
foundIn
Article V ("Article VI of the United States Constitution")
The Federalist No. 44 ("Article VI of the United States Constitution")
relatedTo
Arizona v. United States ("Article VI of the United States Constitution")
constitutionalProvisionInvolved
The Federalist No. 33 ("Article VI of the United States Constitution")
discusses
United States Constitution
hasPart
Article VI of the United States Constitution
locationInDocument
Article VII of the United States Constitution ("Article VI of the United States Constitution")
precededBy
United States federal law ("Article VI of the United States Constitution")
supremacyClauseSource

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