Constitution Week spotlight

The Preamble is the opening statement of the Constitution. It is a concise proclamation of the values at work in the complete document. It is thought the Preamble was written by Gouverneur Morris of Delaware. However, we do not know with certainty if any one man proposed the words or if it was devised and revised by a committee. Can you recite the Preamble?

“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.”

Do you know?

1) In the Preamble, the term “common defense” refers to:

a. Defense for common crime

b. Defense lawyers for the common man

c. Protecting each state against foreign or domestic enemies

2)The framers of the Constitution wanted the national government to have only the powers given to it. This is known as:

a. Limited government

b. Common cause

c. Government of the people

3) Amendments to the U.S. Constitution originate in:

a. The Legislature

b. The states

c. Either the Legislature or the states

This Constitution Week Spotlight is provided by Lt. George Farragut Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. For more information about DAR, please visit the chapter’s website at ltgeorgefarragut.weebly.com.

Answers: 1. c. (Protecting each state against foreign or domestic enemies); 2. a. (Limited government); 3. c. (Either the Legislature or the states)