Simone Lawson
The beginning of the US Constitution is called the Preamble. It is an introductory statement of the Constitution's fundamental purposes and guiding principles. The Preamble was drafted in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787 by 55 delegates to a Constitutional Convention, including Gouverneur Morris, a Pennsylvania delegate. The Preamble sets out the aspirations that We the People have for their government and way of life as a nation. It is not a law, but it does provide courts with reliable evidence of the Founding Fathers' intentions regarding the Constitution's meaning and what they hoped it would achieve.
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What You'll Learn
The Preamble to the US Constitution
The full text of the Preamble is as follows:
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, 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 52-word paragraph was drafted in six weeks during the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia. It communicates the desire to create a stronger and more unified nation, with a focus on justice, peace, defence, welfare, and liberty for all citizens. The Preamble sets the tone and provides context for the seven articles and 27 amendments that make up the structural constitution.
The Preamble has been described as a colossal merger, uniting a group of states with diverse interests, laws, and cultures. It reflects the power vested in the union by the people, marking a significant shift from the previous national government, where states acted independently. The Preamble, with its emphasis on "We the People," highlights the importance of citizen participation and consent in following the law, which is essential to protecting individual rights and maintaining a fair and just society.
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Written by the Founding Fathers
The beginning of the US Constitution is called the Preamble. It is an introductory statement that outlines the intentions, fundamental purposes, and guiding principles of the document. The Preamble was drafted in Philadelphia during the hot summer of 1787 by the Founding Fathers, with Gouverneur Morris, a Pennsylvania delegate, being the main writer.
The Preamble sets the tone for the rest of the Constitution, which consists of seven articles and 27 amendments, the first 10 of which are known as the Bill of Rights. The Preamble does not define government powers or individual rights but instead communicates the aspirations of "We the People" for their government and way of life as a nation.
The 52-word paragraph begins with the famous words, "We the People of the United States," recognising the authority and sovereignty of the people in creating the Constitution. It goes on to outline six key objectives:
- To form a more perfect Union
- Establish Justice
- Insure domestic Tranquility
- Provide for the common defence
- Promote the general Welfare
- Secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity
These objectives reflect the Founding Fathers' desire to create a strong and unified nation, protect the rights and well-being of its citizens, and establish a just and stable government.
The Founding Fathers, or the framers of the Constitution, were 55 delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention. They represented different states and backgrounds and engaged in long and often passionate debates over issues such as states' rights, representation, and slavery. The resulting Constitution was a product of compromise, balancing the interests of large and small states and addressing the complex issue of slavery.
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The intentions of the framers
The beginning of the US Constitution is called the Preamble. It is an introductory statement of the Constitution's fundamental purposes and guiding principles. The Preamble was mainly written by Gouverneur Morris, a Pennsylvania delegate to the 1787 Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia. The intentions of the framers are clearly communicated in the Preamble, which sets out the aspirations that "We the People" have for the government and the nation.
The Preamble to the US Constitution begins with the words, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, 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 introductory statement communicates the intentions and aspirations of the framers, who were the Founding Fathers of the United States.
The framers intended to create a more perfect Union, which implies a desire to improve upon the existing state of affairs and address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, the country's first written constitution. The inclusion of "We the People" in the Preamble was a significant change from earlier documents, such as the Articles of Confederation, which did not use the word "people." This change reflected the necessity of the situation, as the Constitution provided that it would go into effect for any nine states that ratified it, regardless of the remaining states' decisions.
The framers also intended to establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, and provide for the common defence. These objectives aimed to create a stable and peaceful nation, with a fair and effective system of justice and a strong defence. Additionally, the framers sought to promote the general Welfare and secure the Blessings of Liberty for themselves and their Posterity. This reflects a desire to improve the overall well-being of the nation and protect the freedoms and rights of the people, both in the present and for future generations.
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The Constitution's fundamental purposes
The beginning of the US Constitution is called the Preamble. It is an introductory statement that communicates the intentions of its framers and the fundamental purposes and guiding principles of the Constitution. The Preamble was written by Gouverneur Morris, a Pennsylvania delegate to the 1787 Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia. It was placed in the Constitution by the Committee on Style, which wrote its final draft.
The Preamble begins with the words, "We the People of the United States", and goes on to outline six aspirations that "We the People" have for their government and way of life as a nation. These aspirations are:
- To form a more perfect Union
- Establish Justice
- Insure domestic Tranquility
- Provide for the common defence
- Promote the general Welfare
- Secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity
These six objectives form the basis of the Constitution and are considered by courts to be reliable evidence of the Founding Fathers' intentions for the document. They represent the political theory behind the Constitution and have influenced the interpretation of the document by the Supreme Court, which has expressed a preference for broad interpretations of individual freedoms.
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The Constitution's seven articles
The US Constitution is composed of a preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The preamble, which famously begins with the words "We the People", sets the stage for the Constitution. It communicates the intentions of the framers and the purpose of the document, but it is not the law. The seven articles make up the structural constitution, which was signed on September 17, 1787, and ratified on June 21, 1788.
Article One establishes the legislative branch of the federal government, the US Congress. It vests all legislative powers in Congress and outlines the composition and powers of the House of Representatives and the Senate. It also establishes the processes for lawmaking, including the introduction of bills, the powers of each chamber, and the role of the President in the legislative process.
Article Two establishes the executive branch, outlining the powers and responsibilities of the President of the United States. It sets the requirements for becoming President, the Electoral College system for electing the President, and the process of impeachment for removing a President from office.
Article Three establishes the judicial branch, the US federal court system. It outlines the structure and jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and establishes the powers of the federal judiciary. It also addresses issues such as treason and defines the crime and its punishment.
Article Four outlines the relationship between the states and the federal government. It establishes the duties and responsibilities of the states, including respecting the laws and records of other states, extraditing criminals, and providing for the admission of new states into the Union.
Article Five outlines the process for amending the Constitution. It establishes that Congress can propose amendments by a two-thirds vote in both houses, or by a constitutional convention called by two-thirds of the state legislatures. It also sets out the process for ratifying amendments, requiring ratification by three-fourths of the state legislatures or ratifying conventions.
Article Six establishes the Constitution and federal laws as the supreme law of the land. It requires that all federal and state officers be bound by the Constitution and laws made under it, and that all state judges be bound by the supreme law. It also addresses issues of religious tests, stating that no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the United States.
Article Seven outlines the process for ratifying the Constitution. It establishes that the ratification of nine states shall be sufficient for establishing the Constitution as the new framework of governance for the United States.
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