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1-Page Summary of These Truths

The Declaration of Independence states that “these truths” of “political equality, natural rights, and the sovereignty of the people” are “self-evident.”

In 1787, Alexander Hamilton asked the fundamental question about the viability of American democracy. He published The Federalist Papers under a pen name and pondered what its readers would think of the newly ratified US Constitution. It’s not easy to understand or interpret this constitution since it has been subject to much dispute throughout history.

Alexander Hamilton’s questions about whether Americans can establish and maintain “good government” provide an essential lens for considering US history.

Hamilton asked if people in the new country would be able to govern themselves fairly or if accident, violence, deceit and prejudice would drive their destiny. He also wondered whether the government could support people’s efforts to govern themselves fairly. Lepore uses Hamilton’s questions as the framework for her book on American history.

She also uses those questions as a platform to examine the history and results of the US experiment. Three ideas Thomas Jefferson called “these truths” in the 1776 Declaration of Independence provide the foundation for this experiment. Benjamin Franklin modified that phrase to say “self-evident,” which represented an empirical approach rather than a religious one. Lepore asserts that this conceptual divide mirrors ideological differences rooted in the founding of the nation.

Debate and differing opinions about the Constitution and its interpretation will always be part of the United States.

Lepore explains that America is made up of a lot of different kinds of people with diverse backgrounds. Some Americans are immigrants, while others try to end immigration. There are many religions and even more opinions about religion in America. People disagree on the reasons for American independence, as well as who should be considered an American hero or villain.

Debate was a part of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, but after four months, they were able to ratify it. After Congress allowed publication of James Madison’s notes about the process, an observer commented that the Constitution threatened to lead to “infinite sects,” just like the Bible did.

Lepore believes that the United States will always face chaos because of slavery, liberty and immigration. These themes have been present throughout its history. She lists political issues like debate, electoral procedures and size of government that continue to be relevant today. Other issues include religion, racial equality and gender equality; educational opportunities; health care and welfare; international affairs; technologies and communications; politics and parties as well as news media.

The concept of race, which arose during colonization, has had a lasting influence on ideas about equality.

In the United States, there are many different gradations of skin color. However, in colonial times, they were divided into two groups: whites and blacks. The English developed a class system for race that was based on one’s skin color. The Spanish focused more on mixing races together to create an entire caste system with 16 different combinations of races (African/European/Native American). In addition to this racial classification by the Spanish, the English also created their own classifications based on whether or not someone had slaves or was free. Both systems contributed to how Americans view race today.

The Constitutional Convention couldn’t ignore slavery and still discuss tyranny versus representation. The Civil War broke out because of the slavery issue, which was a huge fissure in American politics. Black Americans fought for their rights to be recognized as people rather than property and to enjoy free speech, voting rights and gender equality.