Unit 1: Foundtions of American Democracy
The story of American democracy began 400 years ago in the New England wilderness, where the Puritans set up their first towns and first democratic governments via town meetings.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the American colonists created elected legislatures, their own taxes, and became a nation within the British Empire Influenced by their history, and by the ideas of the Enlightenment and Social Contract, these colonists successfully fought the American Revolution (1775--1783) throwing off British rule and establishing their own democratic governments. Via our three founding documents-- The Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution, the Americans established the United States as a Democracy and Republic. Through the years, the definition of "The people" would expand to include more and more people, ensuring basic civil rights for all. |
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