Commentary
The American Republic was established through the blood of revolutionaries. The preamble of the U.S. Constitution provides the beacon for successive generations of Americans: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
The immortalized words “We the people” are constant reminders that the destiny of the Republic resides with American citizens themselves, who exercise political power through the framework of the Constitution. American history is filled with a series of “revolutions from below” (“grassroots revolutions,” if you will) that were brought about by the burning issues and circumstances of the times. Some achieved their goals; others, not so much, but all greatly influenced the politics of their eras. Examples include:…