The Preamble and the Constitution's big principles

Grade 8 Social Studies Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   The Preamble (1787)

   Box We, the people of the United States: the source of the government's power: popular sovereignty. Box Six goals: form a more perfect union; establish justice; insure domestic tranquillity [peace at home]; provide for the common defence; promote the general welfare; secure the blessings of liberty. Box This Constitution: is ordained and established by the people. Arrows: from We, the people of the United States to This Constitution: ordain and establish; from This Constitution to Six goals: aims at. Line 1 (Constitution of the United States (1787), Preamble; as printed in 1840, p. 5): "We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, 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."

2. 1.

   Who ordains and establishes the Constitution, by the Preamble, Zee asks?

   • We, the people
   • The Supreme Court
   • The king of Britain
   • The thirteen state governors
3. 2.

   Which goal is about peace at home, Ari asks?

   • Establish justice
   • Form a more perfect union
   • Provide for the common defence
   • Insure domestic tranquillity
4. 3.

   How many goals does the Preamble list, Bo asks?

   • Three
   • Seven
   • Six
   • Thirteen
5. 4.

   Jun reads the word preamble. What is a preamble?

   • A list of amendments
   • A court's ruling
   • A vote count
   • An introduction stating the purpose
6. 5.

   Which goal is about protecting the nation from attack, Luz asks?

   • Promote the general welfare
   • Provide for the common defence
   • Establish justice
   • Insure domestic tranquillity
7. 6.

   Which goal is about fair courts and laws, Milo asks?

   • Secure the blessings of liberty
   • Provide for the common defence
   • Establish justice
   • Form a more perfect union
8. 7.

   Which goal shows the Constitution was meant to fix the weak union of the Articles, Noah asks?

   • Establish justice
   • Form a more perfect union
   • Secure the blessings of liberty
   • Provide for the common defence
9. 8.

   Why does the Preamble begin with We, the people, Pia asks?

   • The king approved it
   • Power comes from the people
   • It was the start of a song
   • The states wrote it alone
10. 9.

    Which way do the arrows run in the Preamble diagram, Ren asks?

    • Goals to people to Constitution
    • People to Constitution to goals
    • Constitution to king
    • There are no arrows
11. 10.

    Does the Preamble itself give anyone a power, Tala asks?

    • Yes; it makes the president
    • Yes; it names the courts
    • Yes; it sets the taxes
    • No; it states the purposes