-principles-of-the-constitution mpo/read-and-respond/Iassignmente-14077287 Although the original purpose of the Convention was to amend the Articles of Confederation, the delegates voted to scrap the Articles entirely and write a new constitution. They based this document on seven principles of government. The first is popular sovereignty. The Preamble to the Constitution begins, "We the People...", meaning that the people of the United States are the authors of the document and have the power to participate in the democratic process. Popular sovereignty is the idea that the average citizen can be trusted to make important decisions about their governance, such as electing representatives. The second principle is republicanism. In a republic, citizens exercise their power by electing the leaders who represent them. They vote for what and whom they think will be best for the general good of the public. Which of the following statements best describes republicanism? A Government representatives have unlimited power. B The average citizen can write and pass laws. People cannot begoverned. D The people rule but indirectly.