EDUCATE. EMPOWER. INSPIRE.

Teaching the relevancy of the U.S. Constitution and the principles of self-governance inherent in our founding documents.

OUR NEW TALK SHOW!

American Exceptionalism – How and Why It Matters Featuring Constituting America Founder, Actress Janine Turner. Episodes now available on ROKU, YouTube, Apple, and Spotify.

Constitutional Chats Podcast

Join us Tuesdays at 2pm ET for live podcasts with Constitutional experts. Hosted by Janine Turner, Cathy Gillespie and students: Jorne Gilbert, and Jewel Gilbert.

Our Reach | Our Impact

Constituting America has engaged millions of Americans both online and via the national media, through promotion of our winners’ songs, PSA’s and short films, and through our national school speaking program.

174 Million

Impressions via 81 radio stations
Best Song Winners

420 Million

Impressions via 5 social media platforms

138 Million

Households via 275 TV stations
Best PSA Winners

4 Million

90-Day Program Video Views via YouTube
90+90=180 History Holds the Key to the Future

100,000

Moviegoers via 118 Film Festival Acceptances
Best Short Film Winners

86,930

Students & Adults via 1,632 speeches
Constituting America Classroom Speeches

All of this has been possible by generous supporters like you; people who understand the importance and relevance of the U.S. Constitution, and recognize its educational value across a broad spectrum of ages, interests, and educational levels. Please consider a tax deductible contribution so that we can continue this important work.

History Holds the Key to the Future

2024 Study: The Genius of America – A Journey Into Our Republic: A Study on Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy In America

/by

Essay 66: How Americans Combat The Effects Of Individualism By Free Institutions (Vol. 2 Pt. 2 Ch. 4)

De Tocqueville continues his discussion of the effects of equality. The great vice promoted by equality is individualism, the idea that one can withdraw from society and only tend to himself. Equality, when misunderstood, can make people think that they have no need of each other. De Tocqueville is offering a friendly warning so that democracy can be made to work. In this chapter, he points to an answer to the challenges posed by the doctrine of equality. It turns out that Americans have found a very American solution to a very American problem.

The danger is that individualism, the vice bred by equality, is the lifeblood of despotism. Individualism allows despotism to thrive because isolated individuals do not care what the government does as long as they can remain isolated. Despotism asks people to abstain from public life. The natural meaning of words becomes inverted in a despotism. The good citizen keeps to himself while bad citizens want to work together for the common good. De Tocqueville is not necessarily speaking of the classic despotism of a cruel tyrant, but is foreshadowing the possibility of a new, “soft” despotism that can develop in democracies. Democratic despotism is less obvious but more dangerous as all it requires is for citizens to ignore public affairs.

READ MORE

Search Our Constitutional and Founding Document Essay Archives.

Programs and Initiatives

The George Washington Speaking Initiative

1,632 interactive speeches to 86,930 students & adults in 28 states

Our online 90-Day studies cover such topics as The Federalist Papers; The Constitution; The Amendments; The Classics That Inspired the Constitution; Presidential Elections in History; The Executive Branch; The Congress; The Supreme Court, and much more!

We thank Americana Corner’s Preserving America Grant Program for making a portion of this program possible.

Clips For the Classroon

Students educating students… and scholars too! Sponsored by Constituting America.

Join Our Book Club

The Constituting America Book Club features books for all ages! Join us for discussion in our Book Club Facebook Group and in Live Zooms!

We the Future Contest

Win up to $5,000, meet a Constitutional mentor, celebrity career mentors on our Winner Mentor Trip, national exposure and more! Entries due May 31, 2024.

Our Impact

We are the only organization that utilizes the movies, music, and television with the kids’ own works, to inspire Americans of all ages to learn about the U.S. Constitution.

Our mission is to utilize the culture and multi-media outreach such as television, music, film, internet, and social media to reach, educate and inform America’s adults and students about the importance of the U.S. Constitution and the foundation it sets forth regarding our freedoms and rights.

Our multi-tiered approach features a contest for kids, a school speaking program, weekly podcasts, academic forums with Constitutional Scholars, and national promotion of our winners’ works–impacting the culture with the Constitution.

Thank You to Our Donors

Constituting America wishes to thank the generous donors who make our projects possible! Constituting America is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization. As a public charity under Section 501(c)(3), contributions are tax deductible. Click here to view our most recent Annual Report. Click here to support our Constitution Education Programs, powered by YOU!

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