The Constitution of the United States

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.

• We the people of the United States – these words make it clear that the authors of the Constitution wanted “the people” to be the ultimate authority – “popular sovereignty” or people power.

• form a more perfect Union – to create a better government than the Articles of Confederation, which was the constitution that existed at the time.

• establish Justice – to create a justice system, including courts, to bring order to the nation

• insure domestic Tranquillity – to bring peace at home, inside the country

• provide for the common defense – to create and maintain a national defense against other countries

• promote the general welfare – to help establish and maintain a healthy economy, population and society

• to secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity – to bring freedom and liberty to the people now and in the future

• do ordain and establish – to invest with authority, to create and give The People’s power to