Which U.S. document outlines that the purposes of government include establishing justice and securing liberty?

The Constitution of the United States explicitly articulates the purposes of government in its Preamble, outlining key principles such as establishing justice, ensuring domestic tranquility, providing for the common defense, promoting the general welfare, and securing the blessings of liberty to both present and future generations. This carefully crafted introduction lays the foundation for the entire document, emphasizing the importance of justice and liberty as central to governmental responsibilities.

In contrast, while the Declaration of Independence expresses the philosophical rationale for independence and individual rights, it does not serve as a framework for the structure or purposes of government itself. The Bill of Rights is primarily a collection of amendments that protect individual freedoms from government infringement rather than defining the government’s purposes. The Articles of Confederation, which preceded the Constitution, were focused on creating a loose confederation of states but failed to adequately establish a strong central government and are not considered a document that outlines the specific purposes of government in the way the Constitution does.