The Preamble

1
The Preamble

• Social Studies
• Mrs. Roberts

2
The Preamble

• Six goals of the U.S. government
• To Form a More Perfect Union
• Establish Justice
• Insure Domestic Tranquility
• Provide for the Common Defense
• Promote the General Welfare
• Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and
  Our Posterity

3
The Preamble

• 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.

4
The Preamble

• The Constitution begins with an introduction, or
  Preamble.
• The Preamble identifies certain ideas that the
  government of the U.S. should stand for and also
  states the six purposes of the Constitution.

5
The Preamble

• The statement below expresses the most important
  idea behind the U.S. government
• The people of the U.S. have the right and the
  power to govern themselves. The government
  depends on the people for its power and exists to
  serve them.
• POWER COMES FROM THE PEOPLE!!!!

6
Form a More Perfect Union

• All states should work together as a single
  country for the benefit of all.

7
Form a More Perfect Union

• Evident Through
• Federalism or federal system
• Federalism is when the federal government and the
  state government share power with one another.
• Allows people of each state to deal with their
  needs in their own way. At the same time, it
  lets the states act together to deal with matters
  that affect all Americans.

8
To Form a More Perfect Union

• Evident Through
• Supremacy Clause
• States that if there is a conflict between the
  states and the federal government, the federal
  government will win.
• The Constitution states that the federal
  government is the supreme law of the land.

9
To Form a More Perfect Union

• Evident Through
• Federal and State Cooperation
• An example of this would be when Hurricane
  Katrina destroyed many parts of Mississippi and
  Alabama, the governors of those states asked for
  help from other states and the federal
  government.
• FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
  provides the federal support to those states.

10
Establish Justice

• Everyone should be treated equally and fairly
  under the law.

11
Establish Justice

• Evident Through
• Bill of Rights
• Amendment 4 Search and Seizure
• Amendment 5 Rights of an accused person
• Amendment 6 Right to a speedy and fair trial
• Amendment 7 Civil Suits
• Amendment 8 Bail and Punishment

12
Establish Justice

• Evident Through
• Court system
• Lady Justice
• Justice is blind, impartial, and
  non-discriminatory.
• Everyone is entitled to equal justice under the
  law.
• The judicial system treats everyone the same
  regardless of race, wealth, class, sex, age,
  ethnic group, etc.

13
To Establish Justice

• Evident Through
• Court System
• Judicial decisions are based on the weighing of
  evidence (facts determine guilt or innocence).
• People have the right to a fair trial (not biased
  one way or another) and the right of appeal.
• People have the right to a trial by jury of peers
  who will weigh the evidence.

14
To Establish Justice

• In earlier eras, when people disagreed, they
  often settled their disputes with swords or
  pistols.
• Today, we maintain courts so that people can
  settle their disputes peaceably.
• Also, there are laws to punish those people that
  do not use the court system or those that break
  the laws.

15
To Establish Justice

• Thats Not Fair
• The Justice Department charges a Chicago bank
  with refusing to provide services to minority
  communities.

16
Insure Domestic Tranquility

• The government has the responsibility to ensure
  peace and order at home.

17
Insure Domestic Tranquility

• Evident Through
• Court System
• Police Officers
• Keeping the Skies Safe
• Armed federal marshals ride on many flights
  throughout the United States.

18
Provide for the Common Defense

• The government has the responsibility to maintain
  armed forces to protect the country and its
  citizens from attack.

19
Provide for the Common Defense

• Evident Through
• Armed Forces
• Army
• Navy
• Marines
• Air Force
• Fighting Terrorism!
• U.S. troops prepare for a raid on an Iraqi town
  where terrorists are believed to be operating.

20
Promote the General Welfare

• To ensure, as much as possible, that citizens
  will be free from poverty, hunger, and disease.
• Promote the well-being of its citizens

21
Promote the General Welfare

• Evident Through
• Agencies created by the federal government
• Family Support Administration
• Provides financial support for people who might
  otherwise live in poverty.
• Public Health Services
• Works to keep Americans free from illness.
• Research prevention and cures for diseases.
• Food and Drug Administration
• Oversees the safety of all food, drug, and
  cosmetics in the United States.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• Provides disaster relief for people during an
  emergency situation such as a hurricane, flood,
  earthquake, or tornado.

22
Promote the General Welfare

• Evident Through
• Agencies created by the federal government
• Veterans Administration
• Provides financial support for veterans.
• Hospitals for men and women who served in the
  military.

23
Promote the General Welfare

• Evident Through
• Medicare
• Provides health and hospitalization insurance to
  people age 65 or older.
• Medicaid
• Helps pay the health care costs of low-income
  people no matter what their age.

24
Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and
Our Posterity

• To guarantee that no Americans basic rights will
  be taken away, now or in the future.
• Rights of citizens should be valued and
  protected.
• Posterity means generations not yet born.

25
Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and
Our Posterity

• Evident Through
• Bill of Rights
• Judicial Review by the Supreme Court
• Always determining if an action or law is
  constitutional or unconstitutional.