In the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, what is the meaning of the phrase “We the People”?(1 point)
Responses
The people express their will by directly creating laws
The people express their will by directly creating laws
The people express their will through political parties.
The people express their will through political parties.
Government receives it's power from the people
Government receives it's power from the people
Government receives taxes from the people and exists to support them
Government receives taxes from the people and exists to support them
Government receives it's power from the people
The correct answer is: Government receives its power from the people.
Explanation:
To find the correct answer, we need to understand the meaning of the phrase "We the People" in the context of the U.S. Constitution.
To do this, we can examine the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution itself. The Preamble states:
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure 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."
The phrase "We the People" signifies that the government is derived from the authority and power of the people themselves. It emphasizes that the ultimate source of governmental power and legitimacy lies with the citizens of the United States.
By utilizing the phrase "We the People," the Preamble highlights the foundational principle of popular sovereignty, which means that the government's authority and legitimacy come from the consent of the governed. In other words, the power to govern is vested in the people, and the government exists to serve the interests and protect the rights of the citizens.
Therefore, the answer, "Government receives its power from the people," correctly captures the meaning of the phrase "We the People" in the context of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution.