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Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can have different meanings depending on context.
“Liberties” meant formal, specific privileges—such as self-government or the right to practice a particular trade—many of which were enjoyed by only a small segment of the population. Freedom did not mean the absence of authority or the right to do whatever one pleased—far from it.
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What does Liberty mean?
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Why was the American Civil Liberties Union founded?
Define civil liberties and civil rights. Describe the origin of civil liberties in the U.S. context. Identify the key positions on civil liberties taken at the Constitutional Convention. Explain the Civil War origin of concern that the states should respect civil liberties.
National Government, Crisis, and Civil Liberties - Bill of Rights Institute. In 1755, Benjamin Franklin informed Pennsylvania’s governor that “those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety” (Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, November 11, 1755).
Over the course of our history, the Supreme Court has elaborated on the separation-of-powers doctrine in several cases addressing the three branches of government. At times, the Court has determined that one branch’s actions have infringed upon the core functions of another.
Our rights, like our understanding of liberty, are not static. They are dynamic expressions of freedom. What is most constant in the history of individual rights is how each successive generation has contributed to defining the liberties we claim today.
The remaining ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. They put limits on the national government's right to control specific civil liberties and rights, many of which were already protected by some of the state constitutions.
