Page 44 - 2022-IdeasArg-SE-1e

Ideas in American Culture ■ Reason and Revolution 117

had helped defend the colonies during the conflict. But the colonists viewed these
policies as unfair and illegitimate “taxation without representation,” as they had
no voice in Parliament. After the British enacted a tax on tea in 1773, Bostonians IDEAS IN AMERICAN CULTURE
© Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. For review purposes only. Do not distribute.
raided three British ships and dumped over 92,000 pounds of British tea into the
Boston harbor. In retribution, the harbor was closed, which punished the entire
city. Soon, the American Revolution was underway.
America’s fight for freedom and justice has continued throughout history —
from slavery and the civil rights movement to women’s suffrage to LGBT rights.
Harvey Milk’s “You’ve Got to Have Hope” (p. 122) appeals to these ideas and
envisions a democracy that is both participatory and inclusive for all. Today,
most of us have witnessed marches, protests, and uprisings, which often stem
from injustice and inequality: the 2017 Women’s March, #MeToo movement,
Black Lives Matter, protests on different sides of the gun rights debate. Indeed,
the United States has not always lived up to the promise of democracy for all.
African Americans and women, in particular, faced long struggles just to achieve
basic voting rights. But the history of the country has witnessed a steady — if
gradual — expansion of democratic participation. The continual quest for free-
dom, justice, and equality will inspire activists to seek social change in the future
as well.

REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

The Women’s March is a foundation committed to breaking down systems of
oppression against women through nonviolent resistance. On January 21, 2017,
women and men all over the world participated in the largest one-day protest in
American history.
What characteristics do the people involved in these marches share with other
American revolutionaries?

03_williamideas1e_35663_ch02_084_159.indd 117 24/11/21 2:48 PM