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Understanding the Constitution: The Force of the Preamble

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Understanding the Constitution: The Force of the Preamble
A copy of the U.S. Constitution during a House hearing on Dec. 17, 2019. Andrew Harnik/Pool/Getty Images
Rob Natelson
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Commentary
My last essay discussed the style of the Constitution’s preamble. Gouverneur Morris, its principal author, composed a passage that was grand, euphonious, and balanced. This essay addresses the preamble’s substance.
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Rob Natelson
Rob Natelson
Author
Robert G. Natelson, a former constitutional law professor, is Senior Fellow in Constitutional Jurisprudence at the Mountain States Policy Center and the Independence Institute. He authored “The Original Constitution” (4th ed., 2025) and is a contributor to the Heritage Foundation’s “Heritage Guide to the Constitution.”
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