The Theme of Liberty to the People of America - Essay Example

One of the things that are fundamental to the constitutional democracy of Americans is individual rights. These are rights formulated from the belief that individual persons have some basic rights that are not created by the government but which the government should protect. These include liberty, right to life, pursuit for happiness and economic freedom. As early as 16th century and upto the 20th centuries, there was a massive influx of people into America. These people were seeking for freedom, liberty, new lives and opportunities and they perceived America as the most ideal place where they could get these things. Still others, like slaves, were forcefully brought in and they hoped to get their freedom once they get into America. One of the major freedoms that people coming to America sought is religious freedom. Many people running way from religious persecution in other parts of the world like Europe sought refuge in America. During the middle ages, the Roman Catholic Church dominated religious expression in Europe and other religious groups like Jews underwent persecution. The rise of Protestantism worsened religious persecutions as there arose a clash between the Catholics and the Protestants. Some people, for example the Puritans, run to America seeking for religious freedom. Other people came into America in search of political freedom and a chance to enjoy the democracy that American citizenship accorded an individual. The German Americans for example were drawn into America by limited political expression in Germany as well as the desire to take advantage of economic opportunities in America. Others simply wanted a fresh beginning in the New World (Miller 19). Generally, there was a successful experimentation of social, economic and political freedom in America and this attracted immigrants who wanted to share in this. As a matter of fact, the New World brought with it fresh identities; no Indians, no Americans and no British depending on how the situation of the continent changed (Calloway 197). For some time, some of the people who came into America seeking for freedom got the freedom they sought and this is evidenced by the American statue of Liberty. The statue is a gift from the people of France to the United States of America. It signified human liberty in America. However, things have progressively changed and over time, the America has evolved as a society where people demanded “Give ME Liberty.” The practice of democracy in the nation has become a lost art and Americans are becoming more desperate for the restoration nation. Many people have a general sense that the society is in disorder. The Native Americans and those who have lived there for long feel that they have lost the liberty they originally had (Calloway 193) while recent immigrants feel that the liberty they had, sought or desired is not within their reach. Calloway (193) in this regard notes that in the end instead of idealistic notions that focused on the establishment of a new world, European imperial ambitions, institutions and patterns of settlement thrived In an attempt to acquire and preserve liberty, Americans formed activist movements that advocate for their rights and liberties. This was mainly in the course of the 20th century, and these movements and groups achieved great social and civil changes. For example in 1920, the The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was formed. This is a union in the US whose mission is to defend and preserve every right and liberty guaranteed to all people in the US. Walker (10) explains that in its history, the union was formed to protect the rights of contentious objectors. It also aimed at protecting foreigners threatened with deportation and US citizens threatened with criminal charges because of their socialist or communist activities and agendas. In addition, it opposed attacks on labour unions like the Industrial workers of the world (IWWW) to meet and organise their activities. Currently, ALCU provides legal help in cases where the legal liberties of the defendants are considered to be at risk. The abolition of slavery and slave trade was a major step in the path to acquiring and preserving individual liberties in America. It can be remembered that as early as the 1600s, the British sold Indians into slavery in West Indies (Calloway 99), among other events related to slave trade. People born in America were granted civil rights and full citizenship and this started in North America, specifically in the northern states. After this, they pressurised the southern states to do the same leading to the American civil war (Foner 402). Some of the most influential people during this time were President Abraham Lincoln and other Republicans. During the 1860 presidential election, the Republican Party, led by Lincoln, campaigned against the expansion of slavery into new states other that the ones it already existed. Instead, they advocated for nationalism. The anti-slavery forces in the north felt that rich slave owners in the southern states were utilising political power to gain control of the Supreme Court, Congress and presidency. Before 1850, they had controlled the presidency for 50 years. This threatened the liberties and rights of the citizens in the northern states (Richards 5). The northern states felt that this would worsen if slavery was expanded into the western territories. There were some influential people during this time including activists outside America. An example is William Willberforce of Britain. In addition to the abolition of slave trade, labour unions were also formed in North America to fight for and preserve the liberties of workers. These movements led to the formulation of laws granting workers in America the right to set minimum working conditions, strike and forbid or regulate child labour (Foner 403-405) . There were also gender disparities in regard to the enjoyment of full social and civil liberties. Because of this, the women’s rights movement was also formed and this movement was very successful in securing for many women a chance to vote. Apart from slavery, racial discrimination impaired the enjoyment of full liberties entitled to all citizens as narrated by Douglass Frederick (Douglass & Blight 152). This led to action by racial minorities in the US and this resulted in the formation of other civil rights movements like the African American Civil Rights Movement. This was a movement that actively existed between 1955 and 1968. It was formed with the aim of restoring the voting rights of African Americans and outlawing racial discrimination against them. Campaign of civil resistance was one characteristic of this movement. Communities, businesses, and local, state and federal governments responded by highlighting the inequities faced by the blacks. The ultimate result of this movement was the formation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Prominent and influential figures at this time included W. E. Dubois, Malcom X, Martin Luther King Junior and Rosa Parks (Manning 83). Conclusion The theme of liberty is central to the people of America. A few centuries ago, America was a model nation in terms of enjoyment of social, political and economic liberties. This drew people from other nations into America as they sought to share in its great freedom. However, an analysis of its history reveals that in the course of the 20th century, there were many movements and groups in America that achieved great social and civil changes. The major aim of these economic, social and political groups and uprisings was to fight for the acquisition and preservation of individual liberties. These people and events were very influential in shaping the history of America during this period. These include the American Civil Liberties Union, African American Civil Rights Movement, labour unions and women’s rights movement. It also includes a list of influential people both in the congress like President Lincoln and those outside the congress like Dubois, Malcom X, Martin Luther King Junior and Rosa Parks. The current social unrests and reports of civil injustices are a clear indication that Americans are not enjoying all the liberties granted to them and they are still crying Give ME Liberty. There is therefore need by civil groups and the government to defend individual liberties and this should be able highly upheld and openly evidenced just as the torch held by at the peak of the American statue of liberty. Works Cited. Calloway Colin. New worlds for all: Indians, Europeans, and the remaking of early America. Illustrated edition. JHU Press. 1998. Print. Douglass, Frederick & Blight, David. Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American slave. Edition2, illustrated. Bedford Books of St. Martin's Press. 2003. Foner Eric. Give Me Liberty!An American History. Seagull Third Edition. Columbia University. 2011. Manning Marable. Race, Reform and Rebellion: The Second Reconstruction in Black America, 1945–1982. Mississippi. University Press of Mississippi. 1984. Miller Zane. "Cincinnati Germans and the Invention of an Ethnic Group", Queen City Heritage: The Journal of the Cincinnati Historical Society (42) pp 13-22. 1984. Richards Leonard. The Slave Power: The Free North and Southern Domination, 1780–1860. 2000. Walker Samuel. In Defense of American Liberties: A History of the ACLU. New York and Oxford. Oxford University Press. 1990. Read More