Undertanding America
Americans have always believed that this nation, founded on the idea of freedom, has a vital responsibility to the rest of the world. As George Washington first recognized, the “preservation of the sacred fire of liberty” depended on the American people. These words remain true today.
Understanding America explores how the United States’ commitment to the universal truths of human equality and the right to self-government—as proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence—requires a vigilant defense of the cause of liberty, both at home and abroad.
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What Is the Role of the People?
The Founders built the United States on the fundamental principle that we, the people, have the inherent right to govern ourselves. To govern effectively, we must ensure our society’s continued freedom and virtue, and pass the inheritance of freedom and limited government on to each new generation. This volume in the Understanding America series examines how and why we must live up to these responsibilities in order to maintain the Founders’ vision.
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Why is America Exceptional?
While other nations are bound by a common ethnicity, religion, or history, America's dedication to liberty makes it unique. This volume in theUnderstanding America series examines the significance of the United States' founding principles and why its continuing commitment to those principles matters to freedom everywhere.
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What Is America's Role in the World?
The United States' foreign policy exists, first and foremost, to defend the independence and interests of its people. But America also has a unique responsibility to uphold and advance the universal principles of liberty upon which it was founded. This volume in theUnderstanding America series provides insight into how the Founders understood foreign policy through the lens of these principles, and how the liberty that defines America cannot be separated from America's role in the world.
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Why Does Sovereignty Matter to America?
The Founding Fathers understood that, if America does not have sovereignty, it does not have independence. This volume in the Understanding America series explains the significance of sovereignty to a free and democratic society and makes clear why protecting it is critical to preserving Americans' liberties—as well as those of every other independent people.
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Why Does Religous Freedom Matter?
This volume in the Understanding America series explores the Founders' view of religious faith and freedom. It discusses how religious liberty shapes American public life and why it is critical to peace and freedom around the world.
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Why Provide for the Common Defense?
The American Founders believed that the federal government should have only a few, limited powers, and that it should be concerned only with issues that affect the well-being of the entire nation. This volume ofUnderstanding America explains the constitutional mandate for government to provide for the common defense, and highlights the Founders' conviction that, in order to preserve peace, America must be ready for war.
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How Must America Practice Diplomacy?
This volume in theUnderstanding America series examines how the principles of liberty that define America must also guide its practice of diplomacy
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Why Does Economic Freedom Matter?
Economic freedom is a crucial component of liberty. It provides individuals with the ability to profit from their own ideas and labor, to work, produce, consume, own, trade, and invest according to their personal choices. It is necessary for self-government. This volume of Understanding America explores the framework the Founders established for an economically free nation, and what it means for the United States and the rest of the world.
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Who Makes American Foreign Policy?
The Constitution, which governs how America makes foreign policy, creates a strong but limited government to protect Americans' liberty. This volume in the Understanding America series explains how the Senate and the President share responsibility for making foreign policy, and why this balance of power is critical to preserving and defending American independence.
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How Should Americans Think About Human Rights?
America was founded on the understanding that everyone has inalienable rights and that government must secure these rights. Today, these natural rights are at risk, endangered by modern notions about "human rights" that are incompatible with the Founders' view. This volume explains how Americans should think and act to protect those universal rights championed by the Founders.
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Why Does America Welcome Immigrants?
The United States has thrived because it makes one nation from many peoples—e pluribus unum. The Founders knew that America would benefit from immigration, but they recognized that, if the nation was to remain exceptional and free, all Americans would have to be committed to its principles.
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Who Is Responsible For America's Security?
The Constitution creates a careful system of checks and balances between three branches of government, while placing the President at the fore on national security issues. In this volume of Understanding America find out why it matters that the President is primarily responsible for ensuring America’s national security.
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How Should Americans Think About International Organizations?
While America’s Founders did not live in an era of international organizations, their intentions for the Nation were clear. America should only support and participate in those international organizations that would further the Nation’s interests and goals. This volume in the Understanding America series explains the criteria that make an international organization valuable and examines the role international organizations should play in advancing American goals and protecting America’s interests around the globe.
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How Must America Balance Security and Liberty?
America’s Founders recognized that the nation’s security and its peoples’ liberty are not opposed. Rather, security is necessary for the flourishing of liberty. Since its founding, America has promoted security and protected liberty by pursuing policies that strengthen both. This volume in the Understanding America series explores the ways in which the Constitution’s Framers sought to protect liberty, and shows that the goals of ensuring security and respecting liberty can and must be reconciled.
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What Is The Proper Role of the Courts?
According to the Framers, all three branches of government have a duty to uphold the Constitution. The courts are a co-equal branch of government and the decisions of judges must be guided by the Constitution. Over time, the courts have started claiming the exclusive power to interpret the Constitution, and to interpret it in light of their personal preferences. This volume in the Understanding America series examines the proper role of the courts in determining the constitutionality of our laws.
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What Is the Role of the People?
The Founders built the United States on the fundamental principle that we, the people, have the inherent right to govern ourselves. To govern effectively, we must ensure our society’s continued freedom and virtue, and pass the inheritance of freedom and limited government on to each new generation. This volume in the Understanding America series examines how and why we must live up to these responsibilities in order to maintain the Founders’ vision.
View this volume | Download PDF