Preambles to the 50 State Constitutions
1.
We, the people of the State
of
2.
We the people of Alaska, grateful to God
and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land, in order to
secure and transmit to succeeding generations our heritage of political, civil,
and religious liberty within the Union of States, do ordain and establish this
constitution for the State of Alaska.
3.
We, the people of the State
of
4.
We,
the people of the State of Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privilege
of choosing our own form of government, for our civil and religious liberty,
and desiring to perpetuate its blessings and secure the same to our selves and
posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
5.
We, the People of the State
of
6.
We, the people of Colorado,
with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, in order to form
a more independent and perfect government; establish justice; insure
tranquility; provide for the common defense; promote the general welfare and
secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and
establish this constitution for the "State of Colorado.
7.
The
People of Connecticut acknowledging with gratitude, the good providence of God,
in having permitted them to enjoy a free government; do, in order more
effectually to define, secure, and perpetuate the liberties, rights and
privileges which they have derived from their ancestors; hereby, after a
careful consideration and revision, ordain and establish the following
constitution and form of civil government.
8.
WE
THE PEOPLE, HEREBY ORDAIN AND ESTABLISH THIS CONSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT FOR THE
STATE OF
9.
We, the people of the State
of Florida, being grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty, in
order to secure its benefits, perfect our government, insure domestic
tranquility, maintain public order, and guarantee equal civil and political
rights to all, do ordain and establish this constitution.
10.
To
perpetuate the principles of free government, insure justice to all, preserve
peace, promote the interest and happiness of the citizen and of the family, and
transmit to posterity the enjoyment of liberty, we the people of Georgia,
relying upon the protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and
establish this Constitution.
11.
We,
the people of
12.
We, the people of the State
of
13.
We, the People of the State
of Illinois - grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious
liberty which He has permitted us to enjoy and seeking His blessing upon our
endeavors - in order to provide for the health, safety and welfare of the
people; maintain a representative and orderly government; eliminate poverty and
inequality; assure legal, social and economic justice; provide opportunity for
the fullest development of the individual; insure domestic tranquility; provide
for the common defense; and secure the blessings of freedom and liberty to
ourselves and our posterity - do ordain and establish this Constitution for the
State of Illinois.
14.
WE,
the People of the State of
15.
WE
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF IOWA, grateful to the Supreme Being for the
blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a
continuation of those blessings, do ordain and establish a free and independent
government, by the name of the State of
16.
We, the people of
17.
We,
the people of the
18.
We,
the people of Louisiana, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political,
economic, and religious liberties we enjoy, and desiring to protect individual
rights to life, liberty, and property; afford opportunity for the fullest
development of the individual; assure equality of rights; promote the health,
safety, education, and welfare of the people; maintain a representative and
orderly government; ensure domestic tranquility; provide for the common
defense; and secure the blessings of freedom and justice to ourselves and our
posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution.
19.
We the people of Maine, in
order to establish justice, insure tranquility, provide for our mutual defense,
promote our common welfare, and secure to ourselves and our posterity the
blessings of liberty, acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the
Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity, so favorable to
the design; and, imploring God's aid and direction in its accomplishment, do
agree to form ourselves into a free and independent State, by the style and
title of the State of Maine and do ordain and establish the following
Constitution for the government of the same.
20.
We, the People of the State
of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty, and
taking into our serious consideration the best means of establishing a good
Constitution in this State for the sure foundation and more permanent security
thereof, declare:
21.
We, therefore, the people of
Massachusetts, acknowledging, with grateful hearts, the goodness of the great
Legislator of the universe, in affording us, in the course of His providence,
an opportunity, deliberately and peaceably, without fraud, violence or
surprise, of entering into an original, explicit, and solemn compact with each
other; and of forming a new constitution of civil government, for ourselves and
posterity; and devoutly imploring His direction in so interesting a design, do
agree upon, ordain and establish the following Declaration of Rights, and Frame
of Government, as the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
22.
We,
the people of the State of
23.
We,
the people of the state of
24.
We, the people of
25.
We the people of
26.
We the people of Montana
grateful to God for the quiet beauty of our state, the grandeur of our
mountains, the vastness of our rolling plains, and desiring to improve the
quality of life, equality of opportunity and to secure the blessings of liberty
for this and future generations do ordain and establish this constitution.
27.
We, the people, grateful to
Almighty God for our freedom, do ordain and establish the following declaration
of rights and frame of government, as the Constitution of the State of
28.
We the people of the State
of
29.
Part 1, Article 5: Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to
worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience.
30.
We, the people of the State
of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty
which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing
upon our endeavors to secure and transmit the same unimpaired to succeeding
generations, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
31.
We, the people of
32.
We The People of the State
of
33.
We, the people of the State
of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations,
for the preservation of the American Union and the existence of our civil,
political and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him
for the continuance of those blessings to us and our posterity, do, for the
more certain security thereof and for the better government of this State,
ordain and establish this Constitution.
34.
We, the people of
35.
We, the people of the State
of
36.
Invoking the guidance of
Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessing of liberty; to
secure just and rightful government; to promote our mutual welfare and
happiness, we, the people of the State of Oklahoma, do ordain and establish
this Constitution.
37.
Article 1, Section 2: All men shall be secure in the Natural
right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own
consciences.
38.
WE, the people of the
39.
We, the people of the State
of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, grateful to Almighty God for the
civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and
looking to Him for a blessing upon our endeavors to secure and to transmit the
same, unimpaired, to succeeding generations, do ordain and establish this
Constitution of government.
40.
We, the people of the State
of
41.
We, the people of South
Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties, in
order to form a more perfect and independent government, establish justice,
insure tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare
and preserve to ourselves and to our posterity the blessings of liberty, do
ordain and establish this Constitution for the state of South Dakota.
42.
Article 1,
Section 3, All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty
God according to the dictates of their own conscience.
43.
Humbly
invoking the blessings of Almighty God, the people of the State of
44.
Grateful to Almighty God for
life and liberty, we, the people of
45.
Chapter 1, Article 3: All persons have a natural and unalienable right, to
worship Almighty God, according to the dictates of their own consciences.
Whereas all government ought to . . . enable the individuals who compose
it to enjoy their natureal rights, and other blessings which the Author of
Existence has bestowed on man
46.
Article 1, Section 16: Religion or the duty which
we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only
by reason and conviction, not by force or violence.
47.
We,
the people of the State of
48.
Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the
blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West
Virginia reaffirm our faith in . . . and constant reliance upon God.
49.
We,
the people of
50.
We, the people of the State
of