From its earliest days, the idea of American democracy has been disputed and contested. Though the founders wanted to experiment with a democratic system in their new country, they were also deeply wary of ceding too much power to the people. This video chronicles the often violent development of American democracy from just after the end of the Revolutionary War through the tumultuous debates over slavery that led to the Civil War. This video segment is an excerpt from The WNET Group’s documentary “Preserving Democracy: Pursuing a More Perfect Union.”
Fights Over American Democracy Reach Back to the Founding Era
In early America, the soaring ideals behind establishing a new democracy were marked by cycles of progress and backlash.