Social StudiesSocial StudiesUnit OneUnit One

Lesson 4Lesson 4

The Preamble to the The Preamble to the ConstitutionConstitution

Civics Standards Covered in Civics Standards Covered in This LessonThis Lesson

• Students will examine the structure and purposes of governments with specific emphasis on constitutional democracy.

What you will learn from What you will learn from this lesson.this lesson.

• Why the constitution was written.

Vocabulary• As we go over the following

vocabulary use the Vocabulary Worksheet to match the vocabulary word to its correct meaning.

VocabularyVocabulary

• Preamble – an introduction, the beginning of a document that explains why the document has been written

• Domestic – having to do with your country and/or your home

• Tranquility – peacefulness

Vocabulary• Welfare – state of doing well, being

happy, having enough money for your needs

• Posterity – your descendents, the future generations

Preamble to the Preamble to the ConstitutionConstitution

Discovery United Streaming Video

Complete the Preamble to the Constitution worksheet as you watch the video.

Preamble to the Preamble to the ConstitutionConstitution

• 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.

Why the Constitution Was Written

• “in order to form a more perfect union”

• The states were coming together as a union, or they were being united. The framers of the constitution wanted this union of states to be “more perfect.” They wanted it to work for all the people.

Why the Constitution Was Written

• “establish justice”• The framers did not feel that they had

had justice under the ruling of England. They wanted to make sure that there was justice for all the people in the country, not just those who had money.

Why the Constitution Was Written

• “insure domestic tranquility”

• The framers wanted to make sure that we had peace in our country and homes. They didn’t want us to be afraid of those in authority.

Why the Constitution Was Written

• “provide for the common defence”

• They wanted to make sure that there was a way that all people could defend their rights, not just the rich. “Defence, was written in the preamble with a “c”, not an “s” like we do today.

Why the Constitution Was Written

• “promote the general welfare”

• The framers of the constitution were concerned about the welfare of all, not just the richest people in the country.

Why the Constitution Was Written

• “secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity”

• The framers of the constitution wanted to be sure that we would live in a country where we would have freedom and that the freedoms we enjoyed would continue for our posterity, future generations.

Vocabulary ReviewVocabulary Review

• Preamble – an introduction, the beginning of a document that explains why the document has been written

• Domestic – having to do with your country and/or your home

• Tranquility – peacefulness

Vocabulary ReviewVocabulary Review

• Welfare – state of doing well, being happy, having enough money for your needs

• Posterity – your descendents, the future generations

What We Have LearnedWhat We Have Learned

• We have learned why the constitution was written by looking at the Preamble to the Constitution.

What We Have LearnedWhat We Have Learned

• 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.