Celebrate the Constitution

To win a special prize memorize the Preamble to the constitution. Don't groan. When Ms. McIntyre was in Elementary School (and dinosaurs ruled the earth) every student HAD TO MEMORIZE IT. Challenge Ms. McIntyre to see if she can still remember it! It is only one sentence long - JUST 52 words that tell us what our government is supposed to do! EVERY American Citizen should know it by heart! It has some big words in it -- so be sure to find out what they mean. It will help you remember if you know.

If you learn it this week. Mr. Breese has a MARVELOUSLY WONDERFUL SURPRISE for each student who masters it by Friday Sept. 20th. You can say it to your teacher or to Mr. Breese or to Ms. McIntyre -- but you must say it without help! You will get to be on WMES on Friday and join other students in reciting it!

Click on the words "The Preamble" below to see the video and learn the song that will help!

The Preamble

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.

Here is some help on memorizing it.

If you can remember this word - FEIPPS -- (pronounced - like Yipes) it will help you remember it. It is easy enough to start with, but learning the list of things that the government is supposed to do is harder.

We the people of the United States in order to-----

F- form a more perfect union

E - Establish Justice

I - Insure domestic tranquility

P - Provide for the common defense

P - Promote the general welfare

S - Secure the blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity

Do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America!

Form a more perfect union

This sentence says that the first 10 years we were a country just didn't work out. The Articles of the Confederation didn't work very well, and we were going to fix that by creating a Constitution and a Federal Government! Only then would be have a pretty good government!

Establish Justice

Means that the government guarantees the right to a fair trial for all citizens when they are charged with a crime. It also means that citizens can accuse the government of not doing what the constitution says it should. Citizens did this when they argued that students could not get equal education if they were in segregated schools!

Domestic tranquility

means peace and quiet among the people in our cities and towns.

Common defense

Means to defend us against any attack on any state in the Union (by military -- army, air force, navy -- if necessary) !

General Welfare

Means that all our citizens can use or get help from police, fire departments, schools, hospitals, and parks. Our founders wanted citizens to have the chance to become the best people they could be. They thought they would be better citizens if they had these things!

Secure the Blessings of Liberty for ourselves and our posterity

Means we will make sure that what we fought against Britian to gain -- our independence, (our right to govern ourselves and be the boss of us) will be around for our children and grandchildren and great grandchildren and great great grandchildren ......... you get the idea!

Do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America.

Ordain means to set something by law. They were making it REALLY clear that they meant this new Constitution to be the LAW of the LAND!!