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Essay / Liberty: America's Biggest Lie - 1438
Liberty: America's Biggest LieLiberty and liberty bells have become symbols that characterize the patriotic nature of America. Our precious country was founded on these universal principles which have become “inalienable rights” of our Constitution. Freedom is much more than the ability to express oneself: it is a manifestation of individualism, creative thinking and the innate desire to think freely and innovate. While Americans cherish their fundamental right to liberty, the definition of liberty has undergone drastic changes in American history and has been manipulated to deny liberty to various groups of people. Freedom is an American quality that changes according to the social conditions of the time. From the birth of American freedom in the colonial era, to the disenfranchisement and enslavement of millions of African Americans, to the cry for economic freedom in the 20th century, freedom is a a multifaceted quality that has caused ruptures in American history. was born in America in retaliation for the oppression of Great Britain in the 17th and 18th centuries. During this period, Britain sought to strengthen its control over its colonies after a period of neglect and loneliness. Britain now wanted to take every possible advantage from colonial America with heavy taxes and unjust laws, including the Stamp Act, the Navigation Acts, and the Intolerable Acts. The cry of “taxation without representation” that echoed throughout the thirteen colonies was a plea for freedom; this allowed rebellious sentiment to fester and spread like wildfire. The Revolutionary War was a manifestation of a longing for freedom that had lasted for centuries. This break with Britain led colonial America into a new era as a nation. The UN... between Republicans and Democrats often limits our expression of freedom. Finally, freedom now represents the quality of life and security available to all Americans. This quality of life is determined by several factors, including: an equal opportunity for all to receive education, adequate health care and security. Freedom therefore continually evolves as society continues to evolve. Historian Mark Bloch once said, “The idea of liberty is one in which each age reshapes itself as it pleases” (Loss). As time passes and social conditions change, Americans will need to fight for their cherished value of freedom and define it accordingly. Freedom is an American quality that has sparked much discussion, more than any other in history. Freedom, by far, is America's defining value and has evolved with America..