Homework
Chapter 3, Section 1
Name:
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 Prosperity, do ordain and establish
this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Preamble, U.S. Constitution
1. Introduction: the Preamble (introduction to the Constitution) lists ideas that the
government should stand for, and it spells out the purposes of our government.
2. Pre-reading activity: look over the intended six purposes of government listed below, and
try to determine the intention of each.
3. Summary: After completing the pre-reading portion, look at the text (p. 9 & 10) and
briefly summarize the true intention of each purpose of government.
Purpose
Pre-reading description
Summary
1. Form a More Perfect Union
2. Establish Justice
3. Ensure Domestic Tranquility
4. Provide for the Common
Defense
5. Promote the General Welfare
6. Secure the Blessings of Liberty
4. Write specific quotes from the Preamble that show each of the purposes/goals described
below:
a. It creates a people
b. It explains the reasons for the Constitution & articulates goals
c. It fashions a government
[OVER]
5. Imagine you were going on a class trip to an unknown island in the Pacific and you get
stranded. There is little hope of being rescued in the foreseeable future. Your group quickly
realizes the need to create a government.
o Below are key questions you would need to discuss when setting up your government.
o Read each question below and decide which purpose of government, set out in the
Preamble, is reflected. The 6 purposes of government are those listed in the table.
a. How will you make sure that people can have peace and quiet?
b. How will you make sure that anyone who feels unfairly treated will have a place to air
complaints?
c. How will you make sure that the rules and organizations you develop protect future
generations?
d. How will you make sure that the improvements you make on the island (such as shelters,
fireplaces and the like) will be used fairly?
e. How will you make sure that group members will help if outsiders arrive who threaten your
group?
f. How will you make sure that group members will be free to do what they want as long as it
doesn't hurt anyone else?