Intellectual Origins of the U.S. Constitution

The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution begins with the phrase “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union …” As one reads this phrase, it is difficult to overlook the significance of the words “…in order to form a more perfect union …” What did the Framers of the Constitution mean by this proposition? Were they acknowledging the imperfection of their deeds? After all, the Preamble begins with the word, “We,” but as Wootton (2003) points out, the Framers’ idea of “We” was far from perfect. Gaining an understanding of the intellectual origins of the U.S. Constitution will provide a foundation on which to build knowledge about American politics, public policies, and political institutions in America