'Analyzing the Constitution for 90 Days – The Preamble to the United States Constitution'

Constituting America ^ | 2/22/11 | Dr. David Bobb

[hillsdale1]

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.

The Preamble to the Constitution was added at the last minute by the Constitutional Convention, roundly criticized upon its announcement, and even today lacks any legal standing. So what does it mean, and why does it matter?

“We the People” was a powerful and even revolutionary way to announce the Americans’ new form of government, for encapsulated in these three opening words was the argument for a new regime that is in keeping with the principles advanced in the Declaration of 1776, and defended in the War for Independence.

Whereas the previous compact of the United States, the Articles of Confederation, had been a “firm league of friendship” joined by states, the new Constitution was formed by the people as a whole. The national government was sovereign, not the states. To Anti-Federalists, the Constitution went awry from the outset, for in its first phrase, they held, it announced a form of government that would eliminate the power of the states and thereby destroy the liberties of the people. Nothing could be further from the truth, Federalists responded correctly, for unless the nation wished to continue in abject weakness, it needed to empower the national government to do what the states could not, thus ensuring that the liberties of the people would be secure.

[Miss_Meyet]

Thank you very much for posting this. I am quite fond of Dr Bobb.

[RoseyT]

Bookmark

[ForGod'sSake]

Thank you for the post. I learned something I didn’t know, besides not knowing about the “Constituting America” web site, that Janine Turner is one of the principles behind it. She and her co-founder have been able to gather together some great contributors. GOOD on her!

[Pharmboy]

Gouverneur Morris (he lost his leg jumping from a window when his "friend's" husband came home, or so the story goes)

Thanks for posting, hillsdale1...very interesting information. And thanks to SunkenCiv for alerting me to this post.

One minor comment: although Gouverneur Morris did represent Pennsylvania at the ConCon, he was a New Yorker through and through. He moved to PA for eight years (he had lost a NY election) but began and finished his life in NY.

The RevWar/Colonial History/General Washington ping list

[tutstar]

Bump

[Gondring]

Thanks for the ping!

Ol’ Gouv would lose elections in NY these days, too!

[K-Stater]

What's a discussion of the Preamble without some music? Link

[SunkenCiv]

I may wind up pinging this, if I haven’t already.

[Pharmboy]

No...you haven't pinged this...you freepmailed me. Seems worthy.

Your Humble & Obdt. Svt,
P____y

[aculeus]

BTTT!

[SunkenCiv]

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