🇺🇸 ARTICLE VI — FULL TEXT + COMPLETE TICRI BREAKDOWN

Debts, Supremacy Clause, Oaths — The Binding Legal Structure of the Union

1. Exact Text (Verbatim)

“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.”

“This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.

“The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.”

SECTION-BY-SECTION BREAKDOWN

🇺🇸 Clause 1 — Validity of Debts

2. Plain English

All debts and agreements the U.S. had before the Constitution was adopted remain valid under the new government.

3. What It Does

  • Ensures continuity between the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution.
  • Maintains the creditworthiness of the U.S.
  • Prevents default on wartime loans (Revolutionary War).

4. Limits

  • Applies only to pre-Constitution debts.
  • Does not create new borrowing authority (Article I, Section 8 handles that).

5. What It Does NOT Say

  • Does not give Congress unlimited borrowing power.
  • Does not create a perpetual debt obligation.
  • Does not address state debts.

6. Supreme Court Notes

Not heavily litigated — historically accepted as foundational.

🇺🇸 Clause 2 — THE SUPREMACY CLAUSE

“This Constitution… shall be the supreme Law of the Land.”

This is one of the most important lines in the entire Constitution.

2. Plain English

The U.S. Constitution, federal laws made according to it, and treaties are the highest law in the country. State judges must follow federal law, even if state laws or constitutions conflict.

3. What It Does

  • Makes the Constitution the ultimate legal authority.
  • Makes federal law supreme over state law only if federal law is constitutional.
  • Makes treaties supreme federal law.
  • Binds all state judges to apply federal law over state law.
  • Prevents states from nullifying federal law.

4. Limits

Federal law is supreme only when:

  • It is made in pursuance of the Constitution (i.e., constitutional),
  • It does not exceed Congress’s enumerated powers.

Federal law is not supreme if:

  • It violates the Constitution,
  • It exceeds enumerated powers,
  • It violates rights in the Bill of Rights or amendments.

5. What It Does NOT Say

  • Does NOT give the federal government unlimited power.
  • Does NOT say all federal laws are automatically valid.
  • Does NOT eliminate state sovereignty.
  • Does NOT make federal agencies supreme — only the Constitution, laws made pursuant to it, and treaties.
  • Does NOT authorize federal courts to rewrite state law.
  • Does NOT allow federal law to override constitutional amendments.

6. Supreme Court Interpretations

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) – States may not tax federal institutions — federal law is supreme when constitutional.

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) – Federal law overrides conflicting state law in interstate commerce.

Cooper v. Aaron (1958) – States cannot nullify or resist Supreme Court rulings.

Printz v. United States (1997) – Supremacy does not allow the federal government to commandeer state officials.

🇺🇸 Clause 3 — Oaths, and the Ban on Religious Tests

2. Plain English

All federal and state government officials must promise to support the Constitution. No one can be required to follow a religion or pass a religious test to hold public office.

3. What It Does

✔ Oath Requirement

Requires every:

  • Congressman
  • Federal judge
  • Executive official
  • State judge
  • State legislator
  • State executive official

to support the Constitution.

✔ No Religious Test Clause

  • Government cannot require a religion-based qualification.
  • Applies to all offices, federal and state.
  • Ensures separation of church and state regarding qualifications.

4. Limits

On Government:

Cannot impose:

  • religious oaths
  • doctrinal requirements
  • denominational restrictions

Cannot require belief in God as a qualification for office (multiple state constitutions once tried this — now unenforceable).

On Officials:

  • They must uphold the Constitution — the oath is binding.

5. What It Does NOT Say

  • Does NOT prohibit religious individuals from holding office.
  • Does NOT ban religious expression by officials.
  • Does NOT limit personal faith.
  • Does NOT prevent states from requiring secular oaths of office.

6. Supreme Court Cases

Torcaso v. Watkins (1961) – States cannot require belief in God to hold public office.

Town of Greece v. Galloway (2014) – Officials may pray voluntarily — but cannot impose religious requirements.

🇺🇸 TICRI SUMMARY — ARTICLE VI

Article VI cements the legal structure of the United States:

✔ Continuity of national debt

  • Honors obligations from before the Constitution, preserving national credit.

✔ Supremacy Clause (the backbone of federal law)

  • Federal laws and treaties are supreme only if constitutional.
  • State laws cannot override them.

✔ Binding oath

  • Every government official — state and federal — must uphold the Constitution.

✔ No religious tests

  • The U.S. government cannot require religious belief as a condition of public service.

Article VI guarantees national unity under a single constitutional framework while preserving state governments and preventing federal overreach beyond the Constitution.

Further Reading