This phrase is found in the Preamble to the Constitution, which serves as an introduction to the document and articulates its underlying principles and purposes. The Preamble begins with these words: "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."
By saying "We the People," the framers of the Constitution were emphasizing that the government derives its power and legitimacy from the consent of the governed. In other words, the government exists to serve the people, not the other way around. The phrase "We the People" also serves as a reminder that the Constitution is not just a document, but a living embodiment of the principles of democracy, equality, and individual rights that are essential to our nation's identity and values.