Q. 04 / 128American Government → Principles of Democracy
The U.S. Constitution starts with the words "We the People." What does "We the People" mean?
OFFICIAL ANSWER
- Self-government
- Popular sovereignty
- Consent of the governed
- People should govern themselves
- (Example of) social contract
Hear the answer · spoken at official pace0:03
Context
The Framers deliberately chose this opening to signal a break from monarchy and to assert that legitimacy flows upward from the people. This principle of popular sovereignty means citizens are the ultimate source of governmental power, exercising it through voting, civic participation, and the constitutional amendment process. The phrase also unified thirteen separate state populations under a single national identity.
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