The Preamble to the Constitution is a short paragraph that is the key to recognizing the intention of the founding fathers of the country when the document was established. Supreme Court judges often refer to the document when there is a case that involves constitutional rights. This paragraph describes who it was written for and what its intention was.
The document was drafted several times in order to make certain that it was solid. The final draft was written by a group named “Committee of Style and Arrangement.” They were given the task of having the articles passed through the convention and organizing the document in a way that made sense. The members of the group were Alexander Hamilton, William Johnson, Rufus King, James Madison, and Gouverneur Morris. Although all members were a party to the final draft, Morris is most responsible for it.
The first line of the Preamble is “We the people of the United States of America…” states clearly that the document was drafted in representation of the citizens of the United States. The phrases that follow explain the reasons the article was written. “in order to form a more perfect Union…” The forefathers and citizens of the country establish this as the first reason, to make the United States as perfect a power as possible for the people.
The next phrase is “to establish justice…” Justice is one of the fundamental ideals that the United States was built on. The people have a right to see justice served and given in a fair manner that establishes innocence or guilt based on the rules set forth in the constitution. Following justice is to “insure domestic tranquility…” Domestic is another word for home and tranquility is another word for peace. The founding fathers wished to express that peace within the borders of the United States was and will remain one of the most important reasons the document was created.
The final lines of the Preamble are “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 common defense is any defense of the country and the citizens. The rest of the preamble describes the fair system of checks and balances to assure that the citizens of the country would live freely, without interference from forces inside or outside its borders. Every citizen was included in the constitution and the general welfare of the people in general was to come before everything else.
The Preamble to the Constitution reveals a lot about the mindset of those who drafted it. It clearly explains the goals of those who drafted it. The Constitution was established in such a manner that it was never to be changed for any purpose. Writing the Constitution was like writing an insurance policy for the citizens of the country both then and now. It insures that government will never get so big and powerful that the people suffer a loss of rights. It is a legacy that has stood the test of time.