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Who are "We the People?"

The writers of the Constitution made it clear who should govern the new nation: “We the People.” Rejecting millennia of governance by the few and the powerful, the American founders brought into existence a republic based on democratic principles. To assure that the rights of the people would be honored by any future government, the Constitution included a Bill of Rights, beginning with this powerful First Amendment:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

Throughout history, ordinary people have fought to extend these rights to all Americans. The abolition movement forced the nation to address slavery, a betrayal of our founding principles.

With the leadership of President Abraham Lincoln, Constitutional Amendments were added to further protect the rights of all Americans. The 13th Amendment ended slavery. The 14th Amendment assured citizenship for everyone born in the United States and prohibited government from denying equal justice for all. The 15th Amendment assured voting rights for all men. It would take the 19th Amendment, adopted 50 years later, to assure voting rights for women.

These Constitutional foundations were essential to ensure that all people who would come to America to help build the country would be full participants in the life and governance of the nation. The struggle to put these American principles into practice continues and is exemplified by Mendez v. Westminster. This is the work of “We the People.”