The Constitution for the United States of America
Article 1
Section 8 - Paragraph 11
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To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water: |
To declare War,
One of the basic reasons for the creation of the Federal Government is the mutal defense pact contained within the Constitution. This pact quite naturally would grant the power to declare war in order to have the Federal Government meet its requirement of Providing for the Common Defense.
grant Letters of Marque
Letters of Marque are basically authorization from a Nation to commit piracy and share the booty with the Nation.
and Reprisal,
Letters of Reprisal are basically authorization from a Nation to sieze something owned, or controlled, by another nation as a reprisal and a satisfaction for some perceived wrong that has been done by the offending Nation.
and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
If we are going to go to war, then we will take prisoners. The power to determine how these prisoners are to be treated is granted here.
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