Question

Read this passage from the U.S. Constitution:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America,

Which principle established during the Enlightenment does this excerpt reflect?
A. The power of government should be limited.
B. Natural rights cannot be given or taken away.
C. The government should protect the rights of its citizens.
D. The powers of government should be divided.

Answer 1

The passage from the U.S. Constitution reflects the Enlightenment principle that government should protect the rights of its citizens, as inspired by thinkers like John Locke and the notion of a social contract. The correct answer is option C.

Step-by-step explanation:

The passage from the U.S. Constitution reflects a principle established during the Enlightenment that the government should protect the rights of its citizens. The fundamental Enlightenment concept of a social contract between the government and the people is evident here, where political power is derived from the consent of the governed. This is in line with the ideals of philosophers like John Locke, who emphasized the protection of natural, or inalienable, rights. These rights include the right to "life, liberty, and property," and the government's purpose is to secure these rights for its citizens.

Additionally, the structure of the new government, as outlined in the Constitution, with its system of checks and balances, springs from Enlightenment ideas about the separation of powers. This serves as a practical embodiment of protecting citizen's rights by preventing any one branch from becoming too powerful and infringing upon liberties.