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.

   Which goal is about peace at home, Ari asks?

   • Insure domestic tranquillity
   • Establish justice
   • Form a more perfect union
   • Provide for the common defence
3. 2.

   Esme reads the words popular sovereignty. What do they mean?

   • Power comes from a king
   • Power belongs to the most popular person
   • Power comes from the people
   • Power comes from the courts alone
4. 3.

   Jun reads the word preamble. What is a preamble?

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

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

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

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

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

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

   • Provide for the common defence
   • Secure the blessings of liberty
   • 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
   • It was the start of a song
   • Power comes from the people
   • The states wrote it alone
10. 9.

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

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

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

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