Which fundamental principle does the first three words of the preamble, "We the People," establish?(1 point) Responses Consent of the governed Consent of the governed Rule of law Rule of law Representative government Representative government Limited government
The fundamental principle that is established by the first three words of the preamble, "We the People," is "Consent of the governed."
The fundamental principle established by the first three words of the preamble, "We the People," is the principle of consent of the governed.
The first three words of the preamble, "We the People," establish the principle of representative government. This principle suggests that the power of the government comes from the consent and authority of the people. To arrive at this answer, you can analyze the meaning of each of the choices given and compare them to the concept of "We the People."
1. Consent of the governed: This principle states that the government's authority is derived from the consent of the people it governs. While this is an important principle, it is not explicitly reflected in the phrase "We the People."
2. Rule of law: The rule of law means that all individuals, including those in power, are subject to and must follow the law. While essential for a just society, this principle is not directly established by the phrase "We the People."
3. Representative government: This principle suggests that the government derives its power from the people it represents. The phrase "We the People" implies that the government is a representation of the collective will and authority of the people. Therefore, this is the correct choice.
4. Limited government: Limited government refers to the idea that the power and scope of the government should be limited to protect individual rights and prevent tyranny. While related, this principle is not explicitly established by the phrase "We the People."
Based on the above analysis, the first three words of the preamble, "We the People," establish the principle of representative government.