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Ideas in American Culture ■ Patriotism and Democracy 129

democratic principle that governments derive their legitimacy from the consent
of the people. It was adopted on July 4, 1776, when the colonies officially severed
ties with Britain. American and British troops fought until 1781, when the last IDEAS IN AMERICAN CULTURE
© Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. For review purposes only. Do not distribute.
of the British army surrendered to General George Washington at Yorktown. In
1776, the colonies declared their independence; after the war with Britain ended
in 1783, a new nation was born.
While the term “patriot” once referred to colonial revolutionaries, “patri-
otism” also has a more general meaning: national pride and love of country. In
this context, it retains a positive connotation. Taken to extremes, however, patri-
otism can become militant and chauvinistic: the belief that our nation is superior
to others — or even that a nation has the right to dominate others. The historian
Donald Kagan explores this distinction in “On Patriotism” (p. 134), where he
argues that Americans need to be patriotic to face the challenges of the future and
to protect our “free, democratic republic.”
Individual freedoms are protected by the Constitution which also remains
central to a sense of patriotism. Many public and military officials must swear
an oath to defend the Constitution before they can take office. Some people
even carry a pocket-version around in their daily lives. But, the Constitution
also places many limits on democracy to protect state and individual rights.
Even so, American patriotism remains resilient. Today, patriotism flourishes
through military service, the pledge of allegiance, protest, and youth engage-
ment in democracy.

Artwork by Shepard Fairey for Amplifier.org

We the People (2016), a series of prints created by Shepard Fairey, an American street artist and
graphic designer who founded OBEY Clothing. Fairey created the three-image set as part of a
Kickstarter campaign that would be used to finance a protest campaign against President Trump.

According to the Kickstarter campaign, the collection is “a series of images that capture the
shared humanity of our diverse America.” In what ways do these images reflect a spirit of
democracy and patriotism?

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