Point-by-point explanation of the Preamble of the Constitution of the United States.

1. THE PREAMBLE OF THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE
UNITED STATES
CIVICS - GRADE 8
MR. LAFAYETTE
SAMOSET MS LEOMINSTER, MA
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2. CIVICS GRADE 8 - MR. LAFAYETTE
THE PREAMBLE OF THE CONSTITUTION
• “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more
perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common 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.”
• Signed in Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787.
• Ratified on June 21, 1788.
• 52 words long.
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3. POINT-BY-POINT EXPLANATION
THE PREAMBLE OF THE CONSTITUTION
• “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more
perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common 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.”
• This answers the question “who?” It is not the government, it is
the people, who own the government and created it.
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4. POINT-BY-POINT EXPLANATION
THE PREAMBLE OF THE CONSTITUTION
• “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more
perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common 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.”
• This answers the question “why?” After the chaos of the
Articles of Confederation, Americans agreed that there needed
to be a better way to govern the new nation.
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5. POINT-BY-POINT EXPLANATION
THE PREAMBLE OF THE CONSTITUTION
• “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more
perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the commons 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.”
• This was an important point in support of the “rule of law” in
America with the establishment of a co-equal branch of
government, the judicial branch, as set forth in Article III.
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6. POINT-BY-POINT EXPLANATION
THE PREAMBLE OF THE CONSTITUTION
• “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more
perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common 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.”
• The challenge that Shays Rebellion posed to the new nation
was a very real one. The Founders realized that the Federal
government needed to insure internal peace within the country.
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7. POINT-BY-POINT EXPLANATION
THE PREAMBLE OF THE CONSTITUTION
• “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more
perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common 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.”
• From the very beginning of the United States, there was
agreement among the 13 original colonies to band together for
self or common defense.
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8. POINT-BY-POINT EXPLANATION
THE PREAMBLE OF THE CONSTITUTION
• “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more
perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common 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.”
• Again, the experience of the Articles of Confederation
underscored the need to regulate trade by the Federal
government among the states. A common currency was also
important.
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9. POINT-BY-POINT EXPLANATION
THE PREAMBLE OF THE CONSTITUTION
• “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more
perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common 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.”
• The origin of the blessings of liberty can be traced back to John
Locke’s “life, liberty and property.” Jefferson wrote of the
“pursuits of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” in the
Declaration of Independence. These benefits were for future
generations as well as the present.
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10. POINT-BY-POINT EXPLANATION
THE PREAMBLE OF THE CONSTITUTION
• “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more
perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common 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.”
• It was “we the people” who established the supreme law of the
United States, not the government but rather the governed.
This was a radical idea at a time when monarchies were the
predominant form of government based on “the divine right of
kings.”
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11. POINT-BY-POINT EXPLANATION
THE PREAMBLE OF THE CONSTITUTION
• “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more
perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common 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.”
• This written Constitution was “…a distinctive American
innovation…” and considered the new nation’s greatest
contribution to the science of government. Now the rights of the
governed and restrictions placed on government was spelled
out for all to read and understand.
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12. POINT-BY-POINT EXPLANATION
THE PREAMBLE OF THE CONSTITUTION
• “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more
perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common 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.”
• What did these 52 words mean to the future of our Republic?
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