Form of Government

The United States has a constitutional form of government. This means that Americans are governed according to the provisions of the Constitution. Their rights are written into the Constitution and must be respected by the government. The Constitution is the highest law of the land. Everyone, even the President of the United States, is required to obey the Constitution.

A famous English leader, William Pitt, said many years ago that the Constitution of the United States “will be a pattern for all future constitutions and will receive the admiration of all future ages. ” Time has proved the truth of his words. The Constitution is now the world’s oldest written government plan still working successfully. The constitutions of many other nations have been patterned on it.

The idea of government by consent of the governed is one of the most cherished ideals. It is stated in the Constitution opening sentence. This part of the Constitution is known as the Preamble. It is an introduction that explains why the Constitution was written.

The Preamble begins with the words “We the people.” They are very meaningful words. The Constitution writers wanted to emphasize the importance of the people. These words stress that the government was established by the people. As the Preamble clearly states, “We the people of the United States, do order and establish this Constitution.”

The Preamble itself is not law. Rather, it is a statement of goals. The Preamble lists these six goals for the government of the United States:

1. “To form a more perfect union.” The new government should be a better union of states than the one the people had under the Articles of Confederation.

2. “To establish justice.” The government should make laws and establish a court system that is fair to all.

3. “To insure domestic tranquility.” The government should preserve peace within the country.

4. “To provide for the common defense.” The government should be able to protect the nation from its enemies.

5. “To promote the general welfare.” The government should help ensure the well-being of all the people.

6. “To secure the blessings of liberty.” The freedom of the people should be carefully safeguarded now and in the future.

These goals reflect the belief that the government should serve its citizens. They remain the goals of the nation today.