Week 9 of 32 • Page 3
The Constitution of the United States
What is the purpose of the Constitution? Underline information in the article that supports your answer.
of happiness. It is the people who give their consent, or agreement, to be
The Constitution of the United States was written to create the government that is described in the Declaration of Independence. Written in 1787, the Constitution sets the way the government functions. The Constitution gives directions on what the government can and cannot do in the United States. Men got together in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to create the new government. The government is based on the people having the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit
governed. The way they are governed is described in the Constitution. The people elect representatives to make decisions for the common good. Representing the people is an important democratic principle. President Abraham Lincoln said the United States is a “government of the people, by the people, for the people.”
The Constitution is divided into three parts.
Part 1: The Preamble
The preamble explains the purpose of the document.
Part 2: The Articles
The Articles explain how the government should be run. They define the power of the government. The Articles ensure that no branch has too much power. The Constitution checks the balance of power. It helps the power remain with the people.
Part 3: The Amendments
The Amendments are changes made after the Constitution was written.
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