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We the People: Elementary Edition

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Here you will see two versions of the United States Constitution:

  1. A draft printed early in the Constitutional Convention
  2. A version printed several months later with the final approved text

The first section of both of these documents is known as the Preamble. Between the first draft and the final version, many edits occurred throughout the entire Constitution — but perhaps most notable was in the Preamble itself.

Notice the differences between the two versions of the Preamble and answer the questions below.

Note: Both versions of the printed Preamble use a now-antiquated version of a long s (ſ) that appears similar to a lowercase f.

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View the full activity: https://docsteach.org/activity/we-the-people-elementary-edition/

  • What are the major differences between the draft of the Preamble and the final version?
  • Why do you think the wording was changed?
  • How do these differences help explain the purpose of the Constitution?
  • What words added to the Preamble suggest the need for building a unified American community?
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