6 Basic Goals of the Preamble Explained

Have you ever pondered the founding principles of the United States?

The Preamble offers guidance to answer your questions. It serves as the primary outline for the Constitution’s purpose.

We memorize these 52 words in school and spit them out so fast when prompted. Yet, we struggle to go into the deeper reasoning on what these words mean.

That is the bad part about memorizing phrases. We don’t realize the gravity, importance, and impact of the Preamble.

Let’s define the Preamble into 6 easy digestible goals.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, 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.

The Preamble of the United States Constitution

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Here is a reading of the preamble I created so you can follow along. Immerse yourself in the words. I highly suggest it.

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1. Form a More Perfect Union

Meaning: Organize a stronger government to maintain law and order but weak enough not to impose on liberty

The Founders wanted a better country to serve its citizens.

Under the Articles of Confederation, our nation lacked sufficient government structure and organization. In other words, our “American experiment” in self-governance hit many obstacles.

Thus, when you’re a new nation, you want to:

• participate in international trade
• negotiate treaties with other countries
• coin money on a national scale (Not have individual states mint 13 different types of currency)
• be a strong, independent nation other countries regard as stable

Problems such as the ones listed above infiltrated the whole country. All 13 colonies didn’t have a cohesive spirit united under one flag.

For instance, Shay’s Rebellion is a great example of American uneasiness. Citizens demanded change after United States’ independence.

As a result, farmers became angry when creditors wanted to collect payment for debts owed. Many blocked courthouses impeding regular government business.

The absence of a single national currency posed many problems for Americans to pay their bills. And Shay’s Rebellion raised this issue to national attention.

A weak government helped form this situation of no universal currency. This uprising made America appear defenseless on the international stage. Instability caused other nations to question America’s legitimacy.

Eventually, armed struggle between the farmers and the local militia ensued. The conflict resulted in 2 killed and at least 20 wounded.

Founders and government leaders worried the farmers wanted a different form of government.

Did these farmers want a pure democracy based on mob rule? Many scholars would say yes. But the Founders feared pure democracy because it didn’t represent the liberty principles of a constitutional republic.

The riot’s leaders possessed the charisma and persuasion to overthrow the U.S. government with the Articles of Confederation as the governing document.

Thus, this conflict publicized the vulnerabilities of the union. We needed a new governing document to preserve liberty, yet, promote stability.

This clause of the Preamble became the answer to raising awareness of the U.S.’s imperfect status.

2. Establish Justice

Meaning: Broad statement to ensure the populous is not wronged by common daily activities, and there is a method to handle disputes

Justice is an important quality in any functioning republic. Without it, people settle disputes with fist fights in back-alley parking lots or worse. The slang term is “street justice”.  And this type of justice doesn’t work well in a civilized society.

Thus, the United States Supreme Court is the final authority in our justice system. Many smaller state and local courts support this entire judicial system.

Part of the government’s function is to enforce contracts and provide a means of disputing irregularities, or violations, of those agreements.

For example, businesses enter contracts daily. In a massive country with different personalities, conflict is inevitable.

Lawyers always appear busy running around your local downtown courthouses with haste. This means people are seeking justice for their grievances.

Yes, as an American citizen, you can go to the courthouse to file a complaint. We know it as sewing someone.

You have the opportunity to serve on a jury if summoned once you reach adulthood.

Also, within our justice system, we have certain protections from the Bill of Rights. They help to maintain liberty from a rogue government. One specific protection is your right not to self-incrimination.

Securing justice in society is necessary to maintain a republic that citizens believe in. You don’t want vigilantes arbitrarily deciding what is best when there is no evidence to support their claim. The justice system is the judge for that evidence.

3. Insure Domestic Tranquility

Meaning: Keep and affirm the peace among different people, groups, and individuals in society

As I mentioned earlier in this post, Shay’s Rebellion displayed the government’s weakness. The rebellion rattled Americans’ peace of mind.

To maintain law and order, the U.S. required funding for sheriffs and other police forces.

Law enforcement is the missing link between anarchy and stability. You don’t want mobs burning down businesses and restaurants after you’ve spent your whole life achieving your dreams.  

The police forces need to be strong enough to deter crime but weak enough not to turn into a police state. That’s the balancing act the Preamble and the Constitution aim for.

”Strong enough to maintain the peace but weak enough to preserve liberty…”

With the “strong but weak” thought, 18^th-century Americans did not like the idea of standing armies as a police force. The British stationed permanent armies throughout the colonies causing uneasiness among the local Patriots.

I don’t like to feel the constant threat of military action from my own government. The same goes for you.

A solution to the standing armies became arming militias and citizens. The 2^nd amendment ensures domestic tranquility by deterring standing armies. This is peace of mind for “We the People.”

Also, remember law enforcement is there to help.

4. Provide for the Common Defence

Meaning: Ability to raise an army or navy to protect against foreign threats

Imagine living along the coast of New England after the war. America needed to rebuild, and war takes a toll on nations, especially after 8 years. Populations are:

• weak
• vulnerable
• ripe for another ambitious power to conquer them

Think of a predator hunting for its prey.

For example, a lion usually attacks a zebra or other weaker animals. It is rare for a lion to hunt another predator like a crocodile or alligator. Stronger nations act like lions looking to pounce on frail countries to take advantage.

To further present an argument for defense, the Continental Navy disbanded in 1785 after the war’s conclusion.

United States’ shores and borders appeared weak and unprotected. Like the lion stalking its prey, other European countries- such as Spain or Britain- waited in the shadows for the right opportunity to strike.

Congress waited until 1794 to reinstate and reestablish some sense of armed forces .

Individual citizens funding an entire navy is impractical and unaffordable. The average U.S. citizen can’t afford millions of dollars to buy a modern tank or jet fighter for their defense. It is more efficient and an accepted role of government to provide this service through tax dollars.

As a result, the job of government is to protect citizens from other rival nations with armed forces. Congress has the power to use the military and declare war on other nations if a threat arises. Private citizens don’t have that capability.  

According to one scholar at the Naval Postgraduate School, this is the hierarchy on who is most important for the government to protect:

The American People are the most important part of the pyramid. They are the first priority. The military must protect the American public at all costs.

Secondly, we need to safeguard the ideas of the Constitution.

We do have the largest military budget in the world for a reason. To protect liberty!

Constitution Articles:

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5. Promote the General Welfare

Meaning: Government promotes the well-being of citizens

Many politicians misrepresent this statement. “Promote the General Welfare” does not grant the government carte blanche justification to do as they please.

To further define our meaning, James Madison said this:

“With respect to the words “General welfare” I have always regarded them as qualified by the detail of powers connected with them. To take them in a literal and unlimited sense, would be a metamorphosis of the Constitution into a character, which there is a host of proofs was not contemplated by its Creators.” -James Madison

National Archives Founders Online

The Constitution gives the government clear and concise limits to its power. Madison is adamant about protecting liberty. He emphasized the importance of restricting a federal government’s overreach.

Why would the Founders allow government officials to mandate legislation for “general happiness” without restrictions?

They wouldn’t.

Examples of general welfare include:

• roads like the interstate system
• bridges over rivers
• emergency services such as an ambulance
• basic education like the one you receive to live in society

6. Secure the Blessings of Liberty

Meaning: Enjoy the protections in the Constitution and natural rights of liberty

Our rights are not granted by the Constitution but noted so government is aware of them. Your rights are inherent and are already decided once born. They’re given by God and are inalienable natural rights.

We have the right to life, liberty, and property.

Liberty originated from sacrifice.

The American Revolution started the “blessings of liberty.” America fought many wars over the past 200-plus years to keep liberty’s embers alive.

Do your best to understand these concepts and spread the news.

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What do you think about the general welfare clause? Does America still hold to these 6 goals the Founders intended?

J. Liberty

Comment below to let me know.

6 Goals of the Preamble by J liberty

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