ABSTRACT
Most important events that have influenced the course of history had their origins in a set of ideas, a vision of how government should treat its citizens. In many respects the evolution of the American political system, from the impassioned calls by Patrick Henry to "give me liberty or give me death", to the inspiring "We the People" introduction to the Constitution, has underscored the importance of ideas in the formation of our nation. Early political leaders in the colonies were impressed by the writings of European political thinkers who emphasized the importance of expanding democratic rights and forming a new relationship between citizens and their state. Of course the credit for keeping the Constitution alive goes not only to the political leaders and the institutions they head, but also to the American citizens who still revere this document and are wary of replacing it.
