1.  Think of the federal government today (remember that the President, members of the House of Representatives, Senators, and Supreme Court Justices are part of the federal government)  Brainstorm with a partner a list of the things that people and agencies in the federal government do to govern the country.  In other words, make a short list of the reasons to have a federal government.  You will have four or five minutes to brainstorm.  Share their answers with the class.

2.  What were some of the problems under the Articles of Confederation ?  Is there any evidence in the Preamble to the Constitution that the Framers intended to correct some of those problems? Which ones? How do you know?  How does the language in the Preamble speak to some of the problems that existed under the Articles of Confederation ?  How does the phrase “We the People” in the Preamble demonstrate the concept of popular sovereignty? (Remind students that popular sovereignty is the notion that government is created by and subject to the will of the people.)

3.  Why do you think the framers chose phrases like “a more perfect union” and “promote the general welfare?” What did these terms mean to the framers? What do they mean today?  How does one go about promoting general welfare?  What constitutes justice and how is it established?  What is “common defense?”  What are the “blessings of liberty” and why do they need to be secured