A look at how documents, political figures, and historical events have shaped our current political climate and contributed to the national deposit of individualist history.
Alexander HamiltonOn September 17, 1797, America's brightest politicians met at the Philadelphia Convention in an attempt to write the Constitution and bring unity to a new and disorganized nation. One of these men, Alexander Hamilton, distinguished himself by clearly expressing new ideas and advocating for federalism in the Constitution. While many were in love with the concept of states' rights and a weak central government, Hamilton knew that in a forming country, universal and defined rules would be necessary, and his unique insight earned him the title of a Founding Father of the U.S.
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Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States, was the first of his time to really condemn the establishment. During the his campaign in 1828, he audaciously referred to Washington as a "sink of corruption", winning him points with the overlooked middle class U.S citzens. Jackson won the election and proceeded to tear apart institutions such as the federal bank system that had taken opportunity from many Americans, leaving his mark on American history as an individual.
The third President of the United States, Jefferson exemplified what it means to be an individual living in society. He was a true Renaissance man: an avid architect, reader, writer, philosopher, and politician--he was instrumental in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. This portrait of his profile by Charles Balthazar Julien Fevret de Saint-Mémin captures his spirit. Proud, confident, determined, and peaceful, Jefferson was an individual like no other.
Saint-Mémin, Charles Balthazar Julien Fevre de. Downloads Thomas Jefferson, Head-and-Shoulders Portrait, Facing Right. 1805. World Digital Library, www.wdl.org/en/item/14/#q=individualism®ions=north-america. Accessed 21 Nov. 2016.
Further Reading:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/presidents/thomasjefferson
https://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/thomas-jefferson-brief-biography
http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/thomas-jefferson
https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/presidents/thomasjefferson
https://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/thomas-jefferson-brief-biography
http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/thomas-jefferson
United States "Dunlap Broadside [Declaration of Independence]." World Digital Library, www.wdl.org/en/item/2716/#q=individualism®ions=north-america. Accessed 21 Nov. 2016.
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The Dunlap BroadsidesOn the night of July 4, 1776, the first copies of the Declaration of Independence from Britain were printed in the shop of John Dunlap, the official printer of the Continental Congress. The next morning, these copies of Thomas Jefferson's "fair copy" of the Declaration's rough draft were dispatched to various assemblies across the nation, and one copy was kept in the possession of the Congress for record keeping purposes. Although lacking the now-famous flourishing signature of John Hancock, the documents were "[s]igned by order and in behalf of the Congress by John Hancock, witness, Charles Tomson, attest."
Approximately 80 copies were originally printed on the night of the 4th; 25 are still in existence today. Pictured above is the copy from the Us National Archives Administration. |
https://www.wdl.org/en/item/2716/
https://independencemuseum.org/about/dunlap-broadside/
http://research.history.org/pf/viewer.cfm?image=lg_dunlap.jpg&imageTitle=Dunlap%20Broadsides&imageSubtitle=Courtesy%20of%20Special%20Collections,%20University%20of%20Virginia%20Library&imagePath=/pf/images/&imageCurrent=1
https://independencemuseum.org/about/dunlap-broadside/
http://research.history.org/pf/viewer.cfm?image=lg_dunlap.jpg&imageTitle=Dunlap%20Broadsides&imageSubtitle=Courtesy%20of%20Special%20Collections,%20University%20of%20Virginia%20Library&imagePath=/pf/images/&imageCurrent=1
Bill of Rights
United States. Bill of Rights. 25 Sept. 1789. World Digital Library, www.wdl.org/en/item/2704/#q=individualism®ions=north-america. Accessed 21 Nov. 2016.
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Certain members of the Continental Congress were opposed to the Constitution as it was drafted. A principal objection was that it would open the way to tyranny by the central government, ignoring the rights of individuals in favor of the rights of the government.
Fresh in the minds of representatives at the Congress was the tyranny of the British government and the conflicts that arose because of this tyrannical government during the Revolution. The delegates were also conscious of the prevailing spirit of Enlightenment throughout Europe, a movement that emphasized reason and individualism rather than tradition. The ideas of Locke and Newton, Voltaire and Rousseau, were all known and understood by those present at Congress. |
On September 25, 1789, the First Congress of the United States proposed 12 Amendments to the Constitution in order to protect the rights of individuals within the State. The first 2, concerning numbers of representatives at national and state levels, were not passed. However, Amendments 3-12 were ratified, and became what is now known as the Bill of Rights.
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Further Reading:
https://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/founding-documents/bill-of-rights/
http://www.billofrights.org/
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights-transcript
https://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/founding-documents/bill-of-rights/
http://www.billofrights.org/
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights-transcript
Frederick Douglass As the Civil War went on and African-Americans gained freedom and power in the United States, Douglass gained the ability to use his rhetorical skill to stand for freedom. In his self-written life narrative, Douglass discusses his own pursuit of intelligence as a slave, demonstrating what an individual can accomplish when working against all odds.
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Herbert Hoover
In the presidential election of 1928, Republican candidate Herbert Hoover won over the hearts of many with his economic policies that sought to heavily reward individuals who could make their way to the top of the economy. These policies appealed especially to Americans who believed in the ideal of "rugged individualism," where those willing to work hard for themselves could climb to the top of the economy. Unfortunately, Hoover's policies were ineffective during the Great Depression, an economic collapse that occurred during his presidency.
Milo Yiannopoulos
Milo Yiannopolous has made himself an example of what happens when institutions in this nation attempt to suppress freedom of speech. While he can be easily criticized for his rude, unprofessional, yet commanding usage of rhetoric, Milo's audacity has earned him both a following and an award as LGBTQ Nation's "Person of the Year". Milo's victory in the magazine's contest remind us of another characteristic that makes him unique: unlike the majority of homosexuals in America, Yiannopoulos strongly supports President Trump and the many conservative social values of the republican party.
To learn about Milo's opinions, check out the magazine he works on: http://www.breitbart.com/ |
Donald Trump
In spite of his many widely accepted flaws, Donald Trump was able to win this year's election for one main reason: his recognition and condemnation of the growing corruption in many of America's institutions. While Trump was often perceived as rude, he remained blunt and honest throughout his campaign in order to contrast himself with many current media sources that are often seen as deceitful and self-serving. This honesty established a sense of trust between Trump and the individuals of America whom he sought to protect, winning him the election in a surprising victory.