Founding Values
LibertyNatural RightsSelf-GovernanceFounders

Liberty

The foundational American commitment to individual freedom — and the perennial tension between liberty and government power

June 1, 2026 · Coming soon


Liberty is the animating idea of the American founding. The Declaration of Independence names it among the unalienable rights that government exists to secure, not to grant. Understanding what the founders meant by liberty — and how that meaning has been contested, expanded, and eroded — is essential to understanding American constitutionalism.

Articles and documents on this topic are coming soon.