This book is a collection of American political documents ranging from the Revolutionary founding of the United States to the civil rights struggles in the 1970s. This collection was compiled and edited by the University of North Carolina (UNC) History Department to support a new curriculum requirement for all public university students across the state to take a course covering the "foundations of American democracy." Each of the documents is introduced with the history and context of the document and followed by discussion questions and further reading.

I remember hearing about this controversial requirement over the past few years. Originally a more restrictive bill was proposed to instruct the universities to implement a similar requirement to this one. The bill was motivated by a sense (i.e. moral panic) that young people didn't understand the founding principles of the US democracy. The bill failed to become law but the UNC Board of Governors drafted and passed their own policy.

Then I listened to a podcast with one of the editors of the collection who happened to be an outspoken opponent of the original legislative initiative. She touted the process and product that was a result of creating supporting material for the requirement. As a graduate of a public university I was curious about what students would be learning about American history. I also don't object to more liberal arts requirements in education and this curriculum change impacts students enrolled science and technical colleges and programs.

The introductory texts are familiar and foundational: Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the US, Bill of Rights, and Federalist Papers. As time progresses the writings and texts refer to and "call back" to these foundational themes. Unquestionably the beginning texts are important documents but the story of American democracy is complicated and unfolds for 200 more years. The texts from the future eras highlight the unique challenges over US history.

I think no other foundational document resonates more than the Declaration of Independence (DOI). As the book progresses through the antebellum struggles over American Slavery to the Civil War to late 19th century debates on immigration and 20th century desegregation, the words and spirit of the opening paragraphs of the DOI serve as an endless well from which historic figures draw water in which to nourish a people thirsty for freedom and equality.

The grand irony about our collective reverence of the founding documents is that American history is full of periods we denied the these ideals and fundamental protections to various groups of people. Frederick Douglass' What is the meaning of Fourth of July to the Negro fiery speech captures both the reverence and anger of a former slave attempting to pull together the gaping contradictions of a country that can espouse such liberal ideals and yet enslave a persons on the basis of the color of their skin.

Would you have me argue that man is entitled to liberty?...You have already declared it.

For all the idealism about the country's founding, there are deep anti-democratic, authoritative, and sinister ideals that run through our American democracy. In many ways, these ideals undermine the democratic part of the government.

In a similar way to Douglass' speech, the book succeeds in exposing the contradictions of our country. It introduces the reader to the foundational American principles that motivated the formation of our country. But it doesn't shy away from the country's failures to uphold those principles. It tells a story of continuous struggle, first against Great Britain and then against the American government, to recognize freedoms and equality of all people as the Founders declared.