Articles of the Federation (document)

The Articles of the Federation is the governing constitution of the United Federation of Planets. Often referred to as the Constitution of the United Federation of Planets or the Charter of the United Federation of Planets, the Articles of the Federation were signed in the Candlestick Auditorium in San Francisco, Earth, on 12 August 2161 by representatives from the founding Member States of United Earth, the Andorian Empire, Vulcan, Tellar, and the Alpha Centauri. (ENT episode: "Zero Hour,", ENT novel: Last Full Measure, Articles of the Federation.)

Structure of Government
The Articles of the Federation spell out the manner in which the Federation government is to be organized. One of the rules established in the Articles is the requirement that the Federation President preside over full sessions of the Federation Council barring special circumstances. (novel: Articles of the Federation)

The Articles of the Federation also require that Federation Councillors from newly-inducted Member States be present at the opening of a Council session. If no Federation Councillor is sent by the time the session begins, then none may be added until a new session convenes, requiring that Member State to go without representation. Sessions of the Federation Council are marked by recesses of over three weeks and are convened every six months. (Bajor: Fragments and Omens.)

Guarantees
The Guarantees ensure the civil rights and liberties of all sentient individuals living under Federation jurisdiction. They include the Seventh Guarantee, which protects against self-incrimination. (TNG episode: "The Drumhead.")

They also spell out the rights and guarantees of individual Federation Member States. For example, before signing the Articles, the Andorian Empire insisted that the Constitution guarantee each individual Member State be allowed to maintain their own spaceforce and military, separate from the Federation Starfleet. (RPG book: The Andorians: Among the Clans)

The Articles of the Federation explicitly ban interference in the internal affairs of foreign states. (DS9: "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges".)

Signatories
Amongst others, the signers of the Articles of the Federation included Jonathan Archer and Nathan Samuels of United Earth, T'Pau, Soval, and Solkar of Vulcan, and Gral of Tellar. (Last Full Measure.)

Amendments
The Articles have been amended at least once, to produce the Eminiar Amendment. (TNG ATT novel: A Time to Kill.)

Influences
Written in the 22nd century, the Articles of the Federation drew heavily upon the earlier Constitution of the United States of America. The Guarantees that ensured the civil rights and liberties of Federation Citizens was heavily influenced by the Bill of Rights of the American Constitution; for example the Fifth Amendment's rule against forced self incrimination found a counterpart in the the Seventh Guarantee of the Articles of the Federation. (TNG episode The Drumhead).

Other earlier documents that influenced the Federation Constitution were the Magna Carta and the Fundamental Declarations of the Martian Colonies. (TOS episode Court Martial)

Application and Violations
All sentient life-forms aboard a Federation starship are entitled to the rights and protections offered by the Articles of the Federation. (TNG episode: "The Perfect Mate.")

Investigating the case against Georges Mordreaux in the 2270s, Spock found all the records of the trial against the man had been removed by the Federation government, a violation of the Articles. (TOS novel The Entropy Effect).

Caste-based discrimination is prohibited by the Articles. When Akorem Laan pursuaded the Bajorans to return to the D'jarra system in 2372, Benjamin Sisko told him the Guarantee in the Articles could mean Bajor would be denied entry into the Federation. (DS9 episode: "Accession")

Anniversary
The anniversary of the signing of the Articles of the Federation became known as Federation Day, a patriotic holiday for the UFP. ("The Outcast" [TNG], Last Full Measure.)