U.S. Citizenship Civics TestPrinciples of American DemocracyMedium
The U.S. Constitution begins with the phrase, 'We the People of the United States...' This opening statement establishes which fundamental principle of American government?
- AJudicial Review
- BFederal Supremacy
- CChecks and Balances
- DPopular Sovereignty
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Popular Sovereignty
The phrase 'We the People' in the Preamble signifies popular sovereignty, the principle that the government's authority comes from the consent of the governed, meaning the people themselves are the ultimate source of power.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Judicial review is the power of courts to determine constitutionality, unrelated to the source of government power.
- B. Federal supremacy refers to federal law being supreme over state law, not the source of governmental authority.
- C. Checks and balances are mechanisms to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful, not about the ultimate source of power.
We the People / Popular Sovereignty
The opening words of the U.S. Constitution, 'We the People,' establish the principle of popular sovereignty, meaning the government derives its authority from the consent of the governed.
- Emphasizes that power resides with the citizens.
- Opposite of divine right or rule by an elite few.
- Foundation for representative democracy and citizen participation.
Memory trick: 'We the People' means the power is from ME, the people!