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Understanding the Constitution: The Style of the Preamble

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Understanding the Constitution: The Style of the Preamble
Two women walk past a painting of the preamble to the U.S. Constitution during a preview of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Penn., on July 1, 2003. William Thomas Cain/Getty Images
Rob Natelson
Updated:
Commentary

The Constitution begins with an introduction called the “preamble,” a word from the Latin praeambulus, meaning “walking before.” The preamble to a legal instrument identifies the parties, states crucial facts, and/or explains the purpose of the document. The “Whereas” clauses appearing in some documents are preambles.

Rob Natelson
Rob Natelson
Author
Robert G. Natelson, a former constitutional law professor who is senior fellow in constitutional jurisprudence at the Independence Institute in Denver, authored “The Original Constitution: What It Actually Said and Meant” (3rd ed., 2015). He is a contributor to The Heritage Foundation’s “Heritage Guide to the Constitution.”
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