In this inquiry, students explore the compelling question, “How can we make real the ideals of democracy and freedom?” This resource engages students in an exploration of the ideals of democracy and freedom, the central theme of Facing History’s US history program. While this inquiry provides a snapshot of the voices and stories students will encounter in a US history course, it is not designed to be a comprehensive study of one historical era or event. Students will further explore the meanings of democracy and freedom as they go deeper into the resources aligned with our US history program, including inquiries and units on the history of the US founding, the era of Reconstruction, and Asian exclusion through our nation’s earliest immigration laws.
This inquiry draws from students’ lived experiences by asking them to think critically about what democracy and freedom mean in US history and in their own lives. Students reflect on complexities within the concept of freedom, exploring how meanings of freedom have evolved and the differences between positive and negative freedom. They also consider the meaning of democracy both inside and outside of the government, examining government actions along with the ways their schools and communities function as microcosms of democracy.
As political philosopher Danielle Allen points out, “‘Democracy’ refers to a set of procedures; it doesn’t ‘govern’ anything or anybody. Democratic citizens govern. The question is, are American citizens up to the task of governing themselves democratically?” Allen’s question emphasizes an understanding of democracy as among the most fragile of human enterprises, one that could only be achieved and maintained through the active, thoughtful, and responsible participation of its citizens.
For this reason, this inquiry highlights individuals and groups struggling for freedom and self-determination as pillars for achieving and expanding a healthy democracy. Students examine, for instance, the story of Mary Tape, a Chinese American who fought in court for her children to go to school with white children. They also explore the activism of Fannie Lou Hamer and farmworkers from the California farmworkers movement, both of whom used the tools of democracy in pursuit of their own freedoms and rights to “life, liberty, and happiness.”
