Preamble to the Constitution

Preamble to the Constitution 

Building Context

The fundamental principles of the American republic are asserted in the Declaration of Independence. Those principles and purposes of popular self-government are the basis of the Constitution and of a free and thriving society. They are stated in the Preamble to the Constitution. “We the People” expresses the idea that power is rooted in the people and supports the principle of popular sovereignty. The consent of the governed is the foundation of legitimate government in the American republic. The Preamble then lays out the ideals for which the government was founded: justice, domestic tranquility, the common defense, the general welfare, and the blessings of liberty. These ideals were to be made a reality through representative government and in free and regular elections.

 

 

Caption: The Constitution

Preamble, Constitution

Link to Original Source

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure [ensure] domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence [defense], promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Comprehension and Analysis Questions

1. How does the Preamble support the principle of popular sovereignty?
2. What purposes of government are listed in the Preamble, and why are they important?
3. How does the Preamble support republican government and popular participation?