The United States of America is unique in its recognition of, and time-tested struggle for, civil rights. The very naissance of this nation was directly related to a personal struggle for such privileges, and to the victory that the blood, sweat, and tears earned, culminating in 1776 in the unforgettable words that are at the beginning of the Declaration of Independence:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

In 1787, the leaders of the fledgling nation realized that the Articles of Confederation, which were so far governing the country, were woefully inadequate to regulate the powers and privileges given to the different branches of the government. With an eye on the rights of the people, as outlined in the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States was written, opening with this statement:

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, 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.” (emphasis mine)

Unwilling to leave civil rights to chance and the goodwill of governing entities, the same delegates who drafted The Constitution of the United States demanded to go even further and spell out, in detail, the privileges that each United States citizen was to enjoy. Rather than rewriting the Constitution, these specific rights were added in 1789 as amendments, the first ten of which we now know as the Bill of Rights.

...in the 11th to 27th Amendments to The United States Constitution

Beginning as early as 1794, the United States government recognized that certain rights were not clearly stated, though perhaps intended. Additionally, as public sentiments changed, it became evidence that in spite of the best intentions, the country itself was in violation of civil rights, and new rights were added. Again, these new rights took the form of amendments to The United States Constitution, and now form the 11th to 27th Amendments.

Please take a look at your host’s book recommendations. These books make great gifts for the student in your house or the historic minded friend or family member. Additionally, they will assist the interested reader in examining the texts and backgrounds of the documents that make this country great:

The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America: Including Thomas Jefferson's Virginia Statute on Religious Freedom

My Soul Looks Back in Wonder: Voices of the Civil Rights Experience