Preamble Terms Flashcards

Study Notes

Preamble: Introductory section of a statute or deed that outlines its purpose and goals. Also known as an introduction or prologue.
"We the people": Establishes a direct relationship between the Constitution and U.S. citizens, asserting that the Constitution supersedes state governments.

More perfect union: Goals of the U.S. Constitution include establishing justice, ensuring peace among states, providing common defense, promoting general welfare, and securing liberty for future generations.
Domestic tranquility: Refers to peace at home and between states, allowing federal authority to manage conflicts and prevent uprisings.
Posterity: Represents all future generations, emphasizing the importance of civil rights and liberties for descendants.

Common defense: The phrase from the Constitution highlights the government's duty to protect the nation and its citizens.
General welfare: Grants governing bodies the authority to enact laws aimed at promoting the well-being of the general populace.

Checks and balances: Mechanism to prevent any branch of government from gaining excessive power, ensuring separation of powers among legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
Federalism: A system of governance that divides authority between national and state governments.

Ratification: The formal confirmation process for validating documents and agreements, particularly in relation to the Constitution.
Federalists: Supporters of the Constitution who advocated for its adoption and the establishment of a stronger federal government.
Anti-federalists: Opponents of the Constitution who feared that it would create an overly powerful federal government.

Federalist Papers: A series of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton and others to promote the ratification of the Constitution, providing insight into the framers' intentions.
Separation of powers: Ensures that legislative, executive, and judicial powers are distributed across different branches to prevent tyranny.
Limited government: Concept that restricts government power, ensuring that legalized force is applied within defined limits to protect individual freedoms.