When do you think our country had the most freedom?

[Galileo Galilei]

Between 1815 and 1913, we had the most freedom.

We became a free nation in 1815, but the states re-enslaved us in 1913.

 

[Baptist]

Do you think decentralization necessarily equals freedom?

Because I wouldn't want to live in a country where there are so many barriers to trade between states, and the currency of one state is worthless in another. Correct me if I am either wrong or brainwashed by government schools.

So you must not want to live in a world where there are so many barriers to trade between countries, and the currency of one state is worthless in another. Are you for a one world government?

 

[Fozz]

So you must not want to live in a world where there are so many barriers to trade between countries, and the currency of one state is worthless in another. Are you for a one world government?

What an absurd question

I am for free trade within our own country. Nowhere did I imply anthing else.

 

[Baptist]

I don't know why everyone says after 1776. Yes the king sucked but prior to the Revolution most people in America did their own thing. I think that Colonial Americans were way freer than we are.

If I had to peg down the most freedom it would be before the Civil War. Certainly NOT after 1913. Before 1913 and the Great Depression the government was almost entirely out of the economy. Before the Civil War even more so, because Big Railroad and Big Oil weren't really in bed with government either. Income tax also came along in 1913. So as a whole I'd say America was the freest from 1600s - 1860s.

If I had to choose a small window of ultimate freedom, however, it would be out West before the federal government was there. If I could choose to live anywhere at anytime I would chose to settle the West. Settling the West would be Heaven on Earth for me.

 

[puppetmaster]

pre jamestown

 

[Fozz]

There seems to be a lot of DiLorenzo disciples here.

Those are the types who think 1913 was the end of true American freedom. We all hate the income tax and the Federal Reserve, but there were worse horrors for many people prior to that year, and even afterwords. I am pretty sure many liberals and especially blacks have more admiration for the Civil Rights movement than for the American Revolution or our Founding fathers. I don't blame them.

 

[low preference guy]

I am pretty sure many liberals and especially blacks have more admiration for the Civil Rights movement than for the American Revolution or our Founding fathers. I don't blame them.

Not smart blacks.

The Greatest Generation

If there's an American generation that can justifiably be called the greatest generation, it's that generation responsible for the founding of our nation -- men such as James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, George Washington and millions of their fellow countrymen. This is the generation that threw off one form of oppression and laid the foundations for unprecedented human liberty. That is not a trivial achievement, for most often in mankind's history, one form of oppression has been replaced with another far worse, as we've seen in Russia, China and Africa.

 

[pcosmar]

There seems to be a lot of DiLorenzo disciples here.

Those are the types who think 1913 was the end of true American freedom. We all hate the income tax and the Federal Reserve, but there were worse horrors for many people prior to that year, and even afterwords. I am pretty sure many liberals and especially blacks have more admiration for the Civil Rights movement than for the American Revolution or our Founding fathers. I don't blame them.

Due to a large part to public education. Also a result of the coup of 1913.

Do you know where the largest concentration of Free Blacks was prior to the "Civil" War?
? ?
The deep south. All the way south in fact. Key West Florida, At the time the richest and most prosperous city in the US.

They don't teach that in schools.

 

[Kludge]

Before colonists invaded.

 

[Legend1104]

Personally I think the colonial period. Although, it really depends on where you were living. Some colonies, like Mass., were not nearly as free as others; but the amazing part is that it was mostly small communities (in the beginning) that helped each other and took care of their own problems. Schools were privately run and voluntary, no massive bank problems or bubbles, and if you did not like what your colony was doing, you could leave and start a new one like John Winthrop and Connecticut.

 

[Bossobass]

1833-1913.

Jackson’s “experiment” was underway. Deposits were beginning to be placed in state banks known as “pet banks.” The federal government began to see an annual surplus of about $10 million and, for the first time in the history of the United States, no federal debt existed.

Jackson was left without options and was forced to inform Duane that his services were no longer required. Roger B. Taney was then appointed as Treasury Secretary and instructed to oversee the removal of deposits. The end had come for the Bank of the United States. Taney enlisted the aid of Amos Kendall and Levi Woodbury. Together, they issued the order of September 25, 1833 which announced that on October 1, 1833, the government would shift from national banking to deposit banking via state banks.

The financial stranglehold that Biddle set came at a bad time because business was beginning to expand which meant that credit was needed. The Bank had insisted that state banks make payments in specie, or gold and silver bank notes, and the state banks soon began to overextend their credit by issuing specie which exceeded its worth in gold and silver that the banks had in their vaults.

This resulted in massive inflation and the treasury was filled with worthless bank notes which made it clear that Jackson was not in control of his “pet banks.” The flood of paper money was growing out of control and land speculation in particular was a major concern as fraud was increasing in land sales. Jackson quickly responded by issuing his “Specie Circular” in July of 1836. The “Specie Circular” was a decree that only gold and silver could be accepted in purchasing public lands. Many in Jackson’s Cabinet objected because they saw a danger in it. The danger was that Congress may have seen it as a further abuse of executive power by Jackson and may have tried to supersede it. Jackson went forth with the “Specie Circular” and on July 11, 1836, Taney issued the decree. Objections by opponents such as Henry Clay were silenced because many believed that such criticisms were merely an attempt to create another panic. Soon, the minting of a new dollar was announced and the democrats cried out that it was Andrew Jackson who had restored “real money” to the nation.

Debt slavery renders all other forms of freedom irrelevant.

Bosso

 

[Heimdallr]

Around 10,000 BC

 

[Anti Federalist]

I don't know why everyone says after 1776. Yes the king sucked but prior to the Revolution most people in America did their own thing. I think that Colonial Americans were way freer than we are.

If I had to peg down the most freedom it would be before the Civil War. Certainly NOT after 1913. Before 1913 and the Great Depression the government was almost entirely out of the economy. Before the Civil War even more so, because Big Railroad and Big Oil weren't really in bed with government either. Income tax also came along in 1913. So as a whole I'd say America was the freest from 1600s - 1860s.

If I had to choose a small window of ultimate freedom, however, it would be out West before the federal government was there. If I could choose to live anywhere at anytime I would chose to settle the West. Settling the West would be Heaven on Earth for me.

You know, very valid point.

Before the Crown started "cracking down" to extract excessive taxation for it's wars, the Colonial era from 1700 to about 1750 probably would have been the most free period in the country's history.

There was a renaissance of science, industry and philosophy taking place and the religious excesses of the early Puritan arrivals was waning.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

you know, very valid point.

Before the crown started "cracking down" to extract excessive taxation for it's wars, the colonial era from 1700 to about 1750 probably would have been the most free period in the country's history.

There was a renaissance of science, industry and philosophy taking place and the religious excesses of the early puritan arrivals was waning.

+10000000

 

[Anti Federalist]

+10000000

Thanks, and I thought of another thing, while slavery existed, it did not exist in the great numbers of people from 1750 to 1850.

Yeah, that's where I'd like to be in history, 1725 New Hampshire.

 

[eugenekop]

What about tariffs? I think was very anti-liberal and as far as I know big and unfair tariffs has existed throughout the 19th century.

 

[Anti Federalist]

What about tariffs? I think was very anti-liberal and as far as I know big and unfair tariffs has existed throughout the 19th century.

Pffft, I'd much rather have a tariff system in place than the mess we have now.

 

[jmdrake]

This nation was free sometime prior to 1492.

 

[98Tokay]

Tomorrow.

 

[TNforPaul45]

Answer: When everyone still had guns in their hands as they waved to the departing British ships in 1794-ish.