I’m working on a history writing question and need a reference to help me learn.
In this assignment, you will you will consider a timeline of American “experiments” in democracy. You will also write a short essay in which you discuss how the events in this timeline exemplify the role of state constitutions and legislation in protecting civil liberties, and what might they reveal about unmet expectations for what a democracy should be.
In the years leading up to the end of war with Great Britain and eventual independence, former subjects of the Crown began to envision life in post-Revolutionary America. There were many ideals to live up to at the end of the war—especially the equal pursuits of life, liberty, and happiness. As the former colonies and the Continental Congress began passing laws to shape the government and society of the new nation, contested meanings and interpretations of freedom emerged—particularly around the institution of slavery, the role of women, religious freedom and tolerance, and the fate of those citizens who had remained loyal to the Crown for the duration of the war. Were all men indeed created equal, in practice as well as in theory?
Study the following documents. In your response, explain how each of the primary sources represents a reckoning with the possibilities of American independence and the roles of citizens within a new nation.
0 comments