ss.8.CG.1.8 The Preamble (Assessment #s)

Which part of the U.S. Constitution states the six purposes of government?

• Bill of Rights 

• Article IV 

• Preamble 

• Article I 

Answer explanation

The Preamble of the U.S. Constitution serves as the introduction to the U.S. Constitution and includes the six purposes of government.

A is Incorrect- The Bill of Rights does not include the six purposes of government; the Bill of Rights is an enumeration (listing) of rights that was added to the U.S. Constitution in 1791.

B is Incorrect- Article IV of the U.S. Constitution focuses on the rights and powers of the states.

D is Incorrect- Article I of the U.S. Constitution outlines the powers and structure of the U.S. Congress.

Which part of the U.S. Constitution establishes the goals and purposes of government?

• Preamble 

• Bill of Rights 

• First Amendment 

• Supremacy Clause 

Answer explanation

The Preamble introduces the goals and purposes of government, which are then outlined in the seven articles of the U.S. Constitution.

B is Incorrect- The Bill of Rights was added to the U.S. Constitution after it was ratified.

C is Incorrect- The First Amendment is part of the Bill of Rights, which was added to the U.S. Constitution after it was ratified.

D is Incorrect- The Supremacy Clause deals with the relationships between the national government and the state governments.

This statement was made by President George H.W. Bush. 

If you have a plan, we want to hear it. Tell your community leaders, your local officials, your governor, and your team in Washington. Believe me, your ideas count. An individual can make a difference. 

Which intention of the Preamble is best reflected in this statement?

• The government holds 

  frequent elections.

• The government exists to serve the people.

• The government promotes the general welfare.

• The government provides for the common defense.

Answer explanation

The president’s statement is connected with “We the People” from the Preamble because the president stated that he would not be seeking election for president for another term, using the phrase ‘your president’ in doing so.

A is ncorrect- The Preamble does not include the intention that elections be frequent.

C is Incorrect- The Preamble includes the goal that the government promotes the general welfare, although the statement does not relate to that goal.

D is Incorrect- The Preamble includes the goal that the government will provide for the common defense, although the statement does not relate to that goal.

Why did the Framers require that the U.S. House of Representatives

have the sole power to introduce tax bills?

• Laws are easier to debate and pass in the U.S. House of Representatives.

• Members of the U.S. House of Representatives are 

  directly elected by the 

  people.

• Elections are more frequent and expensive for the U.S. House of Representatives.

• Members of the U.S. House of Representatives are 

  required to have legal 

  experience.

Answer explanation

The Declaration of Independence included the colonists’ concern that taxes were imposed on them without their consent. Directly electing members of the U.S. House of Representatives gives the people a direct say in who passes tax bills, and originally, the Senate was not directly elected, which reflects the concept of “We the People.”

A is Incorrect- The U.S. House of Representatives is larger than the Senate, which contributes to more difficulty debating and passing legislation, and the Senate was originally not directly elected.

C is Incorrect- Elections are more frequent for the U.S. House of Representatives compared to the Senate, but it is not a reason the House was given the power to tax.

D is Incorrect- Qualifications of members of the U.S. House of Representatives are tied to citizenship, age, and residency, but not occupation.

This newspaper headline describes an event in U.S. history. 

Which government purpose identified in the Preamble is best reflected in this headline?

• ensure domestic tranquility 

• promote the general welfare 

• secure the blessings of 

  liberty

• provide for the common defense

Answer explanation

The president’s power as 

commander-in-chief includes the power to use troops to ensure domestic tranquility.

B is Incorrect- The president used his power to ensure domestic tranquility in this example and not to promote the general welfare.

C is Incorrect- The president used his power to ensure domestic tranquility in this example; the example does not focus on freedom.

D is Incorrect- The common defense is an objective when the United States is involved in conflicts with other countries. The common defense occurs when the nation, as a whole, defends itself.

This passage is from a historical document. 

We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, ensure 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. 

What is the purpose of this passage?

• to ensure that the rights of the people were guaranteed

• to establish the goals and purposes of government

• to provide for the 

  well-being of all citizens

• to ensure that people were free

Answer explanation

The Preamble outlines the six goals and purposes of the United States government.

A is Incorrect – The Preamble does not list or guarantee the rights of the people.

C is Incorrect – The Preamble is the introduction to the U.S. Constitution and does not solely provide for the well-being of all citizens.

D is Incorrect – The Preamble is the introduction to the U.S. Constitution and does not guarantee that people are free.

In the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, what is the meaning of the phrase “We the People”?

• The people express their will through political 

  parties.

• The people express their will by directly creating laws.

• Government receives taxes from the people and exists to support them.

• Government receives its power from the people and exists to serve them.

Answer explanation

“We the People” is a reference to popular sovereignty, which means that the government exists because the people consent to its establishment. The U.S. government was created by the people and exists to serve the people’s needs.

A is Incorrect- The Preamble does not address political parties. There is no support for this statement in the phrase.

B is Incorrect- This statement describes a direct democracy, where people directly create all laws. The U.S. Constitution does not establish a direct democracy. It establishes a republic or 

representative democracy where the people elect representatives who create laws.

C is Incorrect- The phrase “We the People” does not imply that the government has the power to collect taxes.

How did the Framers of the Constitution fulfill the purpose of establishing

justice for the new United States government?

• They maintained the 

  superiority of state laws.

• They maintained popular sovereignty.

• They created a national court system.

• They created a bicameral legislature.

Answer explanation

Article III grants the judicial power to the U.S. Supreme Court and to the inferior courts that Congress may create for the purpose of ensuring that the laws of the United States do not violate the U.S. Constitution and are applied fairly and uniformly to the states and citizens.

A is Incorrect- The Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution nullified the superiority of state law to the Constitution and national laws.

B is Incorrect- While the government's authority comes from the people (popular sovereignty), the need to establish justice is to ensure that the national government acts fairly, uniformly, and in accordance with the Constitution and laws, hence the need to create a national court system.

D is Incorrect- Our bicameral legislature creates laws, but does not enforce or interpret them. To ensure the actions of the legislature do not conflict with the Constitution, a national court system was needed to establish fair and uniformed application of justice for the people.

This passage is from a historical document. 

We the People of the United States… do ordain and establish this

Constitution for the United States of America. 

How is this system reflected in the modern American political system?

• Congress enforces policies. 

• The president enacts 

  policies.

• Voters elect members of Congress.

• The Electoral College 

  elects members of 

  Congress.

Answer explanation

The U.S. Constitution as it was written allowed voters to elect members of the U.S. House of Representatives while the U.S. Senators were to be elected by state legislatures. The 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1913, now provides for voters to elect both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, which are, together, the Congress.A is Incorrect- The statement speaks to the people’s power in establishing the Constitution. This option is also incorrect because the executive branch enforces policies, not the legislative branch.

B is Incorrect- The statement speaks to the people’s power in establishing the Constitution. This option is also incorrect because the legislative branch enacts policies, not the executive branch.

D is Incorrect- The Electoral College only elects the president and vice president. The people do not directly elect the president.

This passage is from a historical document.

We the People of the United States… do ordain and establish this

Constitution for the United States of America. 

How did the Founders create a government that reflected the viewpoint expressed in this passage?

• by establishing a system modeled on federalism

• by establishing a system containing the power of judicial review

• by establishing a system in which power originates from the citizens

• by establishing a system for an electoral college to 

  select the president

Answer explanation

The U.S. Constitution has been written and amended to emphasize the power of the people.A is Incorrect- while the U.S. Constitution creates a system based on federalism, that concept is not reflected in the excerpt.

B is Incorrect- Judicial review was established after the U.S. Constitution was ratified and is not referenced in the excerpt.

D is Incorrect- The Electoral College elects the president and vice president and is less tied to the democratic promise of ‘We the People.’