In their Constitution, Americans promise to uphold specific goals for their nation and protect fundamental rights for its people. These “promises” are primarily found in the Preamble, which outlines the document’s purpose, and the Bill of Rights, which guarantees individual liberties.
The Six Goals of the Preamble
The Preamble serves as an introduction that declares the intentions of “We the People” to:
- Form a more perfect Union: Create a stronger, more unified government than the previous system.
- Establish Justice: Ensure that the law is fair and impartial for everyone.
- Insure domestic Tranquility: Maintain peace and order within the country’s borders.
- Provide for the common defense: Protect the nation from foreign threats.
- Promote the general Welfare: Support the well-being and prosperity of all citizens.
- Secure the Blessings of Liberty: Protect the freedoms of both current and future generations.
Promises of Individual Rights (Bill of Rights)
The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, promise specific protections from government overreach:
- Freedom of Expression: Protection for speech, religion, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the government.
- Protection of Property: Freedom from “unreasonable searches and seizures” and the requirement of “due process” before property or liberty can be taken.
- Fair Legal Treatment: Guarantees like a “speedy and public trial,” trial by jury, and protection against “cruel and unusual punishment.”
- Reserved Powers: The promise that any powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or the people themselves.
Promises to the States
Under Article IV, the federal government also promises to:
- Guarantee every state a Republican Form of Government.
- Protect each state against invasion and domestic violence.
Modern Promises
Through later amendments, such as the 14th Amendment, the Constitution added a promise of equal protection of the laws, ensuring that no state can deny any person the same legal rights and protections enjoyed by others.
