Significant progress has been evident in the United States when it comes to liberty, equality, and power from the time of Reconstruction after the Civil War to the present day.
One of the most demonstrative examples of increased liberty, equality, and power can be seen in greater political enfranchisement. Simply put, more people have achieved the right to vote. The passage of the Civil War Amendments (13th, 14th, and 15th) during Reconstruction did much to guarantee African- Americans citizenship and voting rights. The Nineteenth Amendment during the Progressive Time period gave women suffrage, while the 26th Amendment in 1971 set the voting age at 18 years. As a result of these Constitutional amendments, people who were previously denied the right to vote achieved it. These actions demonstrate how increased liberty, equality, and power were ensured by bringing more members of the body politic into the political process.
Addressing issues of social marginalization is another way where greater liberty, equality, and power has also been displayed. Following World War II, movements such as the Feminist Movement and the Civil Rights Movement brought greater attention to the narratives of women and people of color. Workers' rights movements brought more voices into the American narrative as did the social mobilization for those discriminated based on sexual orientation and identity. Through moving these voices from margin to center, more people experienced greater liberty, equality, and power. Naturally, this work is not finished. However, I think that a strong case can be made that since Reconstruction, more Americans have been able to experience greater liberty, equality, and power because of wider political enfranchisement and social inclusion.
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