Sometimes you know something so well that you stop seeking out what it can teach you. This can happen with anything from a beloved novel to the Bible. In our divisive political times, one well-worn text that bears re-examining is the preamble of the Constitution. Many Americans memorized its words in school—or by watching “Schoolhouse Rock!”—but few examined its meaning closely.
If people think of the Constitution at all, they tend to focus on other parts. When I ask my students to name a part of the document, they often point to some portion of the Bill of Rights or to the 13th Amendment, which banned slavery.
But the preamble does more than add rhetorical flourish to our governing document. It concisely declares America's answers to the most fundamental questions of political life—every one of which is contested today.
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