To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America

The United States Constitution was officially ratified in 1788 by nine
of the original Thirteen Colonies. This significant moment occurred
ten months after delegates finalized the document at the
Constitutional Convention of 1787. Upon its ratification the
Constitution became the supreme law of the land and remains our
country’s most sacred document.
The Constitution, which includes a preamble and seven articles that
express the essential ideas of the federal government, specifies the
national framework of government. It creates three branches of
government: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial
branches. It also describes each branch’s powers, as well as
American people’s rights and liberties. Yours and mine!
The Constitution is the oldest and shortest constitution of any
major government on earth and is often used as a model for the
constitutions of other countries. It has been amended 27 times and
includes the Bill of Rights which are the first ten amendments that
were adopted as a single unit in 1791.
Each time we recite the Preamble we repledge our commitment to
preserve, protect, and defend the U.S. Constitution against all
enemies foreign and domestic. If the threat is external from a
foreign aggressor, our first line of defense is our military. If the
threat is internal, we have the power to protect it through the
ballot box. We must always remain vigilant.