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American Ideal

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What is the most crucial value we have that characterizes us as Americans? Most will claim equality, achievements, patriotism, or the American dream that shows the image of opportunities and diligent work. However, these American values would not exist without the existence and establishment of liberty. It was the strive for liberty that initiated the start of this nation, it was liberty that has formed the nation to what it has come to be thus far, and it is still liberty that drives us toward the ideal American country we continue to aim for. Without our liberty as Americans, every other value that we cherish would not exist. American liberty is portrayed in historical archives such as the Declaration of Independence, the Declaration of Sentiments, …show more content…

When gender equality was an issue, women often felt oppressed as this ideal was still reaching other minorities. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, one of the contributing authors of this declaration, critiqued the powerlessness of women in marriage: “In the covenant of marriage, she is compelled to promise obedience to her husband, he becoming, to all intents and purposes, her master--the law giving him power to deprive her of her liberty, and to administer chastisement.” (citation)The indicated exemplifies the American Ideal, liberty because, in the Declaration of Sentiments, women feel oppressed by men´s authority in the patriarchal society that they live in. This declaration has asked for the liberation of women that shaped America forever. Moreover, “Having deprived her of this first right of a citizen, the elective franchise, thereby leaving her without representation in the halls of legislation, he has oppressed her on all sides” (Stanton). Once again, women mention oppression which is completely against the liberties and inalienable rights they have been guaranteed as citizens. Thus, when this declaration was published, liberty and inalienable rights were once more developed to shape America into what it is today. In closure, this declaration demands, “Now, in view of this entire disfranchisement of one-half the people …show more content…

The first amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances” (US Const. amend. I). The Bill of Rights is solely on the freedom and independence granted to the citizens of America through amendments, thus developing the liberty of people. The most important amendment in the Bill of Rights calls for the freedom of speech and free exercise which develops the liberty established in the country. Apart from the first amendment, the thirteenth amendment changed the image of liberty forever as it states “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction” (US Const. amend. XIII, sec. 1). This amendment is extremely important to the United States. It has completely shaped the image of liberty for humanity. The abolishment of slavery forever established liberty for every citizen that resides in America. For once, slaves were given rights and depicted as human beings rather than property. African Americans began to have independence for themselves. Ultimately, “The enumeration in the

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The amendment was significant to the reconstruction era because this was the moment that all were waiting for: the ratification of this amendment meant the freemen of all slaves. The thirteenth amendment was created to abolish slavery, it declared, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, nor any place subject to their jurisdiction. " The amendment was created after the Civil war as a part of the Reconstruction movement. While many may see the amendment as a promise for African Americans, the amendment held loopholes for future arrangements.

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581 Words | 3 Pages

In the mid-1800s, many Americans had concerns about the issues occurring and the impact they made on the United States. To put an end to these numerous issues, many Americans decided to form groups, organizations, and also individuals. They would come up with a variety of strategies to make a change. One of the many issues was women rights. In the mid-1800s, women had a hard time being a woman back then.

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1447 Words | 6 Pages

Traditionally, in the early American and European societies women and men were placed in two different spheres (Brinkley, 329). Men, typically, brought in the income doing hard work while the women stayed home to produce and take care of children, these spheres also meant that women weren’t allowed to vote and usually got no education. Rising feminism lead to the Seneca Falls Convention, where Elizabeth Cady Stanton, in the Seneca Falls Declaration wrote that they “declare our right to be free as man is free, to be represented in the government, in which we are taxed to support.” (Doc. I). While, the Declaration of Independence does say that “all men were created equal” the principle of equality stands.

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Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott meet at a National Anti-Slavery Convention, which influenced them to hold a Women’s Rights Convention. In 1848 they held a national women’s rights convention, known as the Seneca Falls Convention. At the convention Elizabeth Cady Stanton created the “Declaration of Sentiments”. Proposed in the Declaration was “that all men and women are created equal”. Over 300 men and women gathered at Seneca Falls for the convention and unanimously voted for women to have the right to have equal rights as men.

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928 Words | 4 Pages

Angela Davis Once said “Well for one, The 13th Amendment to the constitution of the U.S. which abolished slavery, did not abolish slavery for those convicted of a crime.” Although the amendment was desperately needed it made more problems for the U.S.The thirteenth amendment was about abolishing slavery. Many people had different opinions about this amendment. The amendment affected our nation dramatically. The 13th amendment to the United States Constitution says that, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

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1137 Words | 5 Pages

In today’s world, it seems to be that women have the same rights as men, but it wasn't always this way. The speech “Women’s Rights to Suffrage” by Susan B Anthony is the most compelling of all. Susan B Anthony persuades the audience that all women should have the same rights as men. It’s shown through the speech that the federal constitution says “we the people”, the government has no right to take away rights from just one gender, and that women are considered people as well. The fact that the constitution says “we the people” is a primary point in this speech.

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752 Words | 4 Pages

The 13th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America freed the slaves in America. The 14th Amendment gave the slave citizenship. Yet even with these assurances all did not work out, as it should have. Segregation was the social structure that took the place of slavery throughout America, contrary

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The thirteenth amendment stated that all former slaves were granted freedom. The reconstruction period, “did create the essential constitutional foundation for further advances in the quest for equality”. It laid the building blocks for the future building for civil rights not just for blacks but women and other minorities. Former slaves, “ found comfort in their family and in the churches they established”. Blacks took community in each other and bonded over the mutual idea of freedom .

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759 Words | 4 Pages

The freedom in the new society led to more improvements and beliefs on how to make the changed society better. During the period of Reconstruction, three new amendments passed that had to do with the freedom and rights of freed African Americans. The 13th Amendment, passed in 1865, abolished slavery once and for all. Passed in 1866, the 14th Amendment gave everyone who was born in America full citizenship. Lastly, the 15th Amendment said that no citizen can be denied the right to vote because of your race, the color of your skin, or of previous conditions of enslavement.

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The Reconstruction period was a brutal time period for America in order to fix the things destroyed during the Civil War, but it was overall worth it. There were many good things about Reconstruction, but also bad. I personally believe that there were more good things than bad. One negatives is that the slaves weren’t really free meaning they didn’t have completely equal rights, but this was the start of the Civil Rights movement that shaped our country. One of the things that all started movement towards Civil Rights was the 13th Amendment.

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The most notable being the addition of three Amendments, the 13th, the 14th, and the 15th. These Amendments outlawed slavery, granted citizenship to all former slaves

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Unit 1 Essay “That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Thomas Jefferson proves the independence between great britain and the United states, which help us protect our freedoms. Establishing and preserving our freedoms come in many different forms and everyone has a way of expressing or showing their freedoms. The most important tool for establishing our freedom was the desire.

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530 Words | 3 Pages

The Importance of the 1st Amendment In 1787 our founding fathers assembled the constitution of the United States of America. Of this which contains the most important document to the American citizen, the Bill of rights. The first Amendment states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances” These freedoms granted by the Bill of Rights are often known as freedom of expression. These rights are most important to a truly free society. The first amendment provides us with new ideas and dismisses the fear of punishment

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1494 Words | 6 Pages

''Augmenting the happiness and value of life to all people of all colors everywhere,'' (Abraham) as Abraham Lincoln stated. Eric Foner argues that the concept of freedom in America is not a clean and established set of rules that tribes and many after have the key to, but rather a composition of values that have developed through generations, acquiring significance foreign to Thomas Jefferson and his era. Eric Foner elaborates that American history is full of debates, struggles and ups and downs like a roller coaster ride. This statement is actually true because United States history cannot be comprehended thoroughly without understanding the significance of freedom and the effort to attain

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Mark Lichtenberg Mr.Giddens Government August 8 2015 The First Amendment The first amendment of the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment guarantees against the government invading key personal freedoms that are the freedom of religion, the freedom of the press, free expression, freedom of association, and the freedom of assembly. Without the first amendment religious minorities could be prosecuted, the government could establish a national religion, protestors could be silenced, the press would not be allowed to criticize the government

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