Ben

Mrs. Allison
Period 5
October 29, 2014
1

The Impact of the Preamble

In the year 1941, 2,300 people were killed in a brutal bombing in Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii. The Preamble to the United States Constitution was important in helping
America decide what to do after this terrible event. The attack on Pearl Harbor is a great
example of how the Preamble has a lasting effect on America hundreds of years after it
was drafted by establishing justice, providing for the common defense, and promoting
the general welfare.
The Purpose of the Preamble
The Preamble and the Constitution serve an important purpose. The Preambles
true meaning is to be a summary of the Constitution because the writers believed
nobody would actually read the entire Constitution.
But now it serves an important purpose, it shows that
the Constitution is trying to protect the ideals of
liberty and it serves as a way to show Americas the
Constitution is trying to do good. At the time it was
written also showed worried Americans that the new
form of government would be nothing like that of
Britains and will help us figure out our way in the
new country.

Ben
Mrs. Allison
Period 5
October 29, 2014
2

Deciphering the Preamble

The different phrases put in the Preamble really explain what the Constitution
was going to be about. We the people of the United States, means that this sentence
is going to be about the people of America, and in order to form a more perfect union,
means that the Constitution is supposed to improve on the shaky Articles of
Confederation. ...establish justice, means that the new Constitution will create a
judicial system. The quote insure domestic tranquility, explains that it will make sure
that inside of the country we will have peace. ...promote the general welfare, shows
that we will be provided with supplies and weapons to protect the nation. ...and secure
the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, means that it will keep and
protect our freedoms for us and the generations to come. The final quote, do ordain
and establish this Constitution for the United States of America, means that this will be
the constitution of the U.S. for years to come.
The Enduring Impact of the
Preamble
The Preamble to the Constitution had an enduring
impact on America in the way we handled life after Pearl
Harbor. After Pearl Harbor America had many important

Ben
Mrs. Allison
Period 5
October 29, 2014
3

decisions to make and they looked to the Preamble for guidance and clarity.
One thing America needed to handle was what to do to help the worried people
of the nation. According to Humanities 360, there was a big shock after the bombing
because of Japanese stereotypes, but the leaders acted quickly and declared war. The
Senate voted unanimously for war. Three days later Germany and Italy declared war.
Without the Preamble we would not be able declare war and help protect the Jewish
people in Europe. In the Preamble it clearly states that the American government will
promote the general welfare, and that is what they are doing by declaring war.
Americans had a thirst for revenge on the people who had taken the lives of thousands
of American people. So in a way by declaring war the government promoted the general
welfare.
Secondly, the American government wanted a way to establish justice, to the
people who had performed such an act of terrorism on the U.S. According to the
International Socialist Review, we decided to bomb Hiroshima as our own form of
justice. Like in the Preamble when it clearly says that we will establish justice, when
we need to, the people in America really needed to feel like justice was served and so
the Preamble, once again helped us in this time. America was also tired of being looked
at as a non-threat at the time so they wanted to be looked at as a superpower.

Ben
Mrs. Allison
Period 5
October 29, 2014
4

Lastly the Preamble says that one job of the United States government is to
provide for the common defense. According to History State America supported allied
states heavily to help stop Adolf Hitler. They also made money for our armed forces by
selling goods to allied European nations. The government also provided us with troops
and with millions of dollars worth in supplies. In conclusion, the Preamble was able to
have a lasting effect on people in America hundreds of years after it was created.

Conclusion
So all in all, the Preamble has an enduring impact long after it was written.The
Constitution was made to change and help fix the shaky Articles of Confederation and it
helped guide us after the terrible attack on Pearl Harbor. The ideals of freedom were
summarized in one sentence in the Preamble and it shaped America.

Ben
Mrs. Allison
Period 5
October 29, 2014
5

Bibliography
"American Response to Pearl Harbor." By Jerry Curtis. Web. 04 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.humanities360.com/index.php/american-response-to-pearl-harbor51663/>.
"International Socialist Review 20 | Pearl Harbor, Internment, and Hiroshima: Historical
Lessons." International Socialist Review 20 | Pearl Harbor, Internment, and
Hiroshima: Historical Lessons. Web. 04 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.isreview.org/issues/20/feat-pearlharborhiroshima.shtml>.
"Lend-Lease and Military Aid to the Allies in the Early Years of World War II - 1937
1945 - Milestones - Office of the Historian." Lend-Lease and Military Aid to the
Allies in the Early Years of World War II - 19371945 - Milestones - Office of the
Historian. Web. 02 Nov. 2014. <https://history.state.gov/milestones/19371945/lend-lease>.