Eleanor Finch
The U.S. Constitution is composed of the Preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The Preamble is an introduction to the highest law of the land and sets the stage for the Constitution. It is not the law and does not define government powers or individual rights. The first phrase of the Preamble is We the People.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First phrase | We the People |
| Number of words | 52 |
| Purpose | To set the stage for the Constitution and communicate the intentions of the framers |
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What You'll Learn
The first 52 words of the Constitution
The first 52 words of the US Constitution are known as the Preamble. The Preamble sets the stage for the Constitution and introduces the articles and amendments that follow. It is not the law, but it does communicate the intentions of the framers and the purpose of the document. The Preamble begins with the words, "We the People", and outlines five objectives, the first of which is to "Establish Justice". The Preamble was drafted in six weeks during the hot Philadelphia summer of 1787.
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The Preamble
The first phrase in the Constitution is "We the People". This is the Preamble, an introduction to the highest law of the land. It is not the law itself, but it does set the stage for the Constitution, communicating the intentions of the framers and the purpose of the document. The Preamble is a 52-word paragraph that was drafted in six weeks during the hot Philadelphia summer of 1787. It is followed by seven articles that make up the structural constitution, which was signed on September 17, 1787, and ratified on June 21, 1788. There have been 27 amendments to the Constitution, beginning with the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments, ratified on December 15, 1791.
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The seven articles
The first phrase in the US Constitution is "We the People". This is followed by the Preamble, which sets the stage for the Constitution and introduces the seven articles and 27 amendments that follow. The Preamble is not the law, but it does communicate the intentions of the framers and the purpose of the document. The seven articles make up the structural constitution, which was signed on September 17, 1787, and ratified on June 21, 1788. There have been 27 amendments to the Constitution, beginning with the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments, ratified on December 15, 1791.
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The 27 amendments
The first phrase in the US Constitution is 'We the People'. The Constitution is composed of the Preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights and were ratified on December 15, 1791. The remaining 17 amendments were added over the course of more than 200 years.
The 27th Amendment, also known as the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789, was one of the first amendments proposed but was only ratified in 1992. It states that any law that increases or decreases the salary of members of Congress may only take effect after the next election of the House of Representatives. The 27th Amendment was proposed by the 1st Congress on September 25, 1789, along with 11 other amendments. Ten of these were ratified 27 months later to become the Bill of Rights, but the 27th Amendment and the proposed Congressional Apportionment Amendment were not ratified by enough states to come into force with them.
The 27th Amendment is an important part of the US Constitution as it helps to ensure that members of Congress are accountable to the people they represent. By requiring that any changes to their salary only take effect after the next election, it helps to prevent members of Congress from giving themselves pay raises without the consent of their constituents. This amendment also helps to maintain the separation of powers between the different branches of government and protects the rights of citizens.
The process of ratifying the 27th Amendment illustrates the importance of federalism in the US system of government. Federalism is a system in which power is shared between a central government and regional governments, in this case, the state governments. By requiring ratification by the states, the process of amending the Constitution becomes more deliberate and ensures that any changes have broad support across the country. This helps to protect the rights of states and prevent the central government from becoming too powerful.
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The Bill of Rights
The first phrase in the US Constitution is "We the People", which is part of the Preamble. The Preamble is an introduction to the highest law of the land, but it is not the law itself. It does not define government powers or individual rights. The Preamble sets the stage for the Constitution, clearly communicating the intentions of the framers and the purpose of the document. The first 10 amendments to the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights. These were ratified on December 15, 1791, and are part of the 27 amendments that have been made to the Constitution since its signing on September 17, 1787, and ratification on June 21, 1788.
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Frequently asked questions
"We the People".
The Preamble.
The Preamble is an introduction to the Constitution, setting the stage for the document and communicating the intentions of its framers.
No, the Preamble is not law. It does not define government powers or individual rights.
52.
