"The People" in the U.S. Constitution

"The People" is used repeatedly in our U.S. Constitution. The Preamble, Article I, Amendments I, II, IV, IX, X [5 of the 10 Bill of Rights! (1791)], and Amendment XVII (1913) all contain the phrase "the people".

It is beyond reason that "the people" should mean individuals in every single case except for the Second Amendment, where it means 'the states' as alleged by gun control advocates. This is especially true since the term "the people" is listed left out of Article IV (The States Section) and also kept as a separate phrase, "the people", while including an additional phase, "the States" in Amendment X. The Founding Fathers knew that there was a difference between the "people" and the "states".

The following is a complete listing of "the people" in the U.S. Constitution.

Please note: Emphasis added to "the people" in each case.

Preamble

The Constitution of the United States of America

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic 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 United States of America.

Article I

Section 1. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

Section 2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states, and the electors in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislature…….

Click HERE to Review the Entire Text of Article I.

Amendment I (1791)

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Amendment II (1791)

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

Amendment IV (1791)

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Amendment IX (1791)

The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X (1791)

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Amendment XVII [While not part of the bill of rights, it does show a more contemporary view of "the people" (1913)]

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each state, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislatures.

When vacancies happen in the representation of any state in the Senate, the executive authority of such state shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, that the legislature of any state may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.