story name: The words we lived by : You annotated Guide to the constitution by linda monk by Hachette Books
In paragraph 4, what reasons does Justice Thurgood Marshall give for his view that the first three words of the Preamble are evidence “of the evolving nature of the Constitution”? What specific evidence does the author provide in paragraph 5 to support Marshall’s viewpoint? Cite textual evidence to support your answer.
In paragraph 4, Justice Thurgood Marshall gives the reason that the first three words of the Preamble, "We the People," show the evolving nature of the Constitution because they now include a broader definition of who constitutes "the People." He contends that the original Constitution excluded many groups, such as slaves and women, from full participation in society.
In paragraph 5, the author supports Marshall's viewpoint by providing specific evidence. The author states, "Indeed, the expanded understanding of 'We the People' has been demonstrated in the constitutional amendments that extended citizenship and voting rights to African Americans, women, and young people." This quote indicates that the author agrees with Marshall's view that the Constitution has evolved over time to include marginalized groups through amendments.
The author also provides another piece of evidence in the same paragraph, stating, "Additionally, court decisions and legislation have expanded the protections and rights afforded to various groups." This supports Marshall's view by showing that judicial rulings and laws have further extended the rights and protections guaranteed by the Constitution to different groups.
To summarize, Justice Thurgood Marshall argues that the first three words of the Preamble demonstrate the evolving nature of the Constitution, and the author supports this viewpoint by mentioning the amendments, court decisions, and legislation that have expanded the definition of "We the People" and extended rights and protections to various groups.