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Top headlines
Lead story
Many things have changed since America’s Founding Fathers gathered in 1787 to draft the Constitution, famously declaring in the preamble, “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union …” The document set the stage for democratic governance – at least in name.
That’s because at the time, “We the People” didn’t include everyone who actually lived in what became the United States. And even today, despite many legal reforms and advancements, many people are still not equally represented under this sweeping term, writes West Virginia University historian and ethicist Joseph Jones, who explores the expansion of who “We the People” refers to in today’s lead story.
“America’s founders did not trust everyone’s ability to equally participate in the new democracy,” Jones writes. “But the overall expansion of voting rights and a historical understanding of ‘We the people’ shows that everyone belongs in a democratic society, regardless of wealth, achievement or other differences.”
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When the Constitution was written, the term ‘We the People’ had a very limited application for voting rights.
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Joseph Jones, West Virginia University
The meaning of the Constitution’s preamble, which begins with the words ‘We the People,’ has evolved over time as voting rights have expanded.
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Environment + Energy
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Mojtaba Sadegh, Boise State University
Nearly 22 million people lived within 3 miles of a US wildfire in the past two decades. A new study tracking their locations flips the script on who is at risk.
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Politics + Society
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Joshua Holzer, Westminster College
Nationalism and patriotism are sometimes treated as synonyms, but they have very different meanings.
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Katherine Kinzler, University of Chicago
The US and other countries have a legal definition of citizenship, yet human psychology and identity politics result in ingrained biases over who truly belongs.
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Woody Holton, University of South Carolina
A scholar of early US history celebrates the country’s birthday with six under-appreciated ideas about the founding document.
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Science + Technology
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Paul E. Smith, Purdue University
Most of us look forward to the fireworks on the Fourth of July. But did you ever wonder how the chemists create those colors that light up the night sky? Are some colors harder to create than others?
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Woody Holton, University of South Carolina
In the summer of 1776, Boston offered smallpox inoculation to everyone and required those who declined to leave town or stay in their homes.
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International
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François Dubet, Université de Bordeaux
Efforts have been made to improve housing in working-class neighbourhoods, yet the social and cultural mix has deteriorated. What remains is a face-off between young people and the police.
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