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?

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

   Which goal is about peace at home, Ari asks?

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

   Jun reads the word preamble. What is a preamble?

   • A vote count
   • A list of amendments
   • A court's ruling
   • An introduction stating the purpose
5. 4.

   Kira reads promote the general welfare. What does it mean?

   • Help other countries first
   • Help one general
   • Work for everyone's well-being
   • Help only the army
6. 5.

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

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

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

   • Secure the blessings of liberty
   • Establish justice
   • Provide for the common defence
   • 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
   • Provide for the common defence
   • Secure the blessings of liberty
9. 8.

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

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

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

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

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

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