New book: Jon Meacham on our founding documents
Why it matters: The intro draws on and explores Abraham Lincoln's private notes and letters on the eve of his presidency — and the outbreak of the Civil War.
Meacham writes:"If America is to be America, the foundational documents reprinted here must be not theoretical but tactile, not quaint but vivid, not dead but alive."
The big picture: Editions of the Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers and the U.S. Constitution are selling at their fastest pace since at least 2004, AP reported in April.
"For all our faults," Meacham continues, "for all our dreams deferred and our unfulfilled promises, the United States of America is founded not on ethnicity but on an ideal."
"The Constitution, Abraham Lincoln believed, was forged to give expression to the Declaration. It was a means to an end — and the end was the recognition and the preservation of individual liberty and individual dignity, for without liberty and dignity humankind becomes not vessels of the divine but bodies to be commanded."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
17 minutes ago
- The Hill
Latin America's top human rights court says states have duty to act on climate crisis
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — The Inter-American Court of Human Rights on Thursday issued a landmark advisory opinion linking governments' human rights obligations to their responsibility to address the threat of climate change — a move expected to shape policy and litigation across Latin America and the Caribbean. The opinion is the first of its kind from the region's top human rights tribunal and responds to a 2023 request from Colombia and Chile. It says states have a duty under international law to prevent, mitigate and remedy environmental harm that threatens human rights, including through laws, policies and actions aimed at curbing climate change. The court outlined a series of legal standards, including the recognition of a human right to a healthy climate, the obligation to prevent massive and irreversible environmental harm as well as the duty to protect the rights of current and future generations. 'The Court has declared that we are in a climate emergency that is undermining the human rights of present and future generations and that human rights must be at the center of any effective response,' Nikki Reisch, program director at the Center for International Environmental Law Climate and Energy, told The Associated Press. The opinion said states have a legal duty not only to avoid environmental harm but also to protect and restore ecosystems, guided by science and Indigenous knowledge. 'This is a historic opinion,' said Reisch. 'It's not just a legal milestone — it's a blueprint for action. This opinion will guide climate litigation at the local, regional, and national courts, and provide a foundation for climate policymaking, grounding local legislation and global negotiations in legal obligation, not just in the Americas but around the world.' Though not binding, the court's opinions carry legal weight in many member countries of the Organization of American States and often influence domestic legislation, judicial rulings and international advocacy. The court's findings are expected to bolster climate-related lawsuits and human rights claims in the region, and to influence negotiations ahead of COP30 — the next major United Nations climate summit, set to take place in November in Belem, Brazil. 'States must not only refrain from causing significant environmental damage but have the positive obligation to take measures to guarantee the protection, restoration, and regeneration of ecosystems,' said Court President Judge Nancy Hernández López. 'Causing massive and irreversible environmental harm…alters the conditions for a healthy life on Earth to such an extent that it creates consequences of existential proportions. Therefore, it demands universal and effective legal responses,' López said. The opinion comes amid growing Indigenous momentum in the region, including a summit in Ecuador's Amazon last month where hundreds of Indigenous leaders gathered to demand enforcement of court victories recognizing their land and environmental rights. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights, based in San Jose, Costa Rica, is the region's top tribunal for interpreting and enforcing the American Convention on Human Rights. Its rulings, though often challenged by weak enforcement, have played a key role in advancing Indigenous rights and environmental protections across Latin America. In recent years, the court has condemned governments for allowing mining projects on Indigenous land without proper consultation, and advocates have increasingly turned to it as a forum for climate-related accountability. The advisory builds on the Court's 2017 advisory ruling that recognized the right to a healthy environment as a standalone human right, deepening its application in the context of climate breakdown. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Associated Press
19 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Photos capture the Republicans push to pass Trump tax cuts as opposition fails
WASHINGTON (AP) — The past week has seen Republicans on Capitol Hill working to pass President Donald Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act.' House Democrats failed Thursday to persuade enough Republicans — at least four — to vote against it two days after Senate conservatives passed the tax and spending cuts package Tuesday. Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries repeatedly referred to the package as 'this one big ugly bill' as he delayed the vote for hours to speak out against it and the GOP's deference to Trump. Protesters against the bill have gathered at the Capitol Rotunda all week, with some submitting to arrest by Capitol Police. This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Boston Globe
23 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Fourth of July vibe check
The following is a lightly edited transcript of the July 2 episode of the 'Say More' podcast. Shirley Leung: I'm Shirley Leung. Welcome to 'Say More.' The Fourth of July. What does it mean to you? This week it's America's birthday, a day that recognizes the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a blueprint for democracy. It's a celebration that comes around every year, but this time it feels different. To mark the Fourth, Globe Opinion asked readers and community members to reflect on how it feels to be an American today. Take a listen. Reya Kumar: Hi, I'm Reya Kumar. I was born and raised in California and live out in Boston now where I went to college. Every Fourth of July, I write an Instagram post about how I feel about America that year. It's become my annual tradition, a way to wrestle with my complicated relationship with my American identity. When I think about America, I'm caught between frustration at our failures and an unshakeable hope for what this country has the capacity to be. Even when I'm sorely disappointed in our leaders and systems, I could never imagine leaving. This country is too much a part of who I am. Even when it breaks my heart. I consider myself a patriot, but my patriotism isn't about blind allegiance to symbols or refusing to acknowledge our failures. It's about believing in what we could become. When I see the ongoing fight for voting rights, the persistence of systemic racism, or the rollback of reproductive freedoms, I don't see reasons to give up on America. I see reasons to fight harder for it. This 4th of July feels different. We're celebrating independence from a king while our president chips away at the foundations of our sacred democracy. The stakes feel impossibly high. That's exactly why I refuse to write off this country. Being American means holding two truths simultaneously, loving your country enough to demand better from it, and believing that better is possible. Jon Dickinson: My name is Jon Dickinson and I live in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. My American identity is rooted in self-reliance, perseverance, work ethic, and an ingrained desire to accomplish something every day. My first memory was being one of three kids under five, a dog, and my parents all gloriously crammed into an 800-square-foot rental. My parents worked multiple jobs to make ends meet. I was expected to be courteous, hold a job, save money, and pay for college. Some say the 'American Dream' is dead. I don't buy it. Too many are distracted by media outrage, virtue signaling, and curated personal narratives. Opportunities exist for everyone but are realized only when one holds oneself accountable for their own success. To me, being American means betting on yourself, taking risks, and not waiting for perfect conditions. It's the freedom to try and fortitude to persevere until you achieve your goals. Elliot: Hi, I'm Elliot. I live in Hampshire County in Massachusetts. How does it feel to be an American this Fourth of July? It feels terrifying, first and foremost, but I try to make sure that fear is pushing me closer to my community rather than alienating me from it. I'm the child of immigrants who were lucky enough to be able to come here legally, even though now that doesn't feel like a guarantee of anything. My grandparents came here from Latin America with their two young sons and truly lived the 'American Dream.' I've heard the story of how my grandparents were able to retire from the proceeds of my grandfather's patents after he was able to go to school and become an engineer. Now, I worry that my 93-year-old grandmother will be stopped and something about her– her accent, the way she dresses, the color of her skin or hair– will give some power-hungry bureaucrat the excuse to say she doesn't belong. I'm also a transgender nurse who works in transgender healthcare. I spend every day reassuring my patients that we're still here, still providing the life-saving care they need as long as we possibly can. Some days I live in panic that America can't come back from this. At least not an America I can be proud to belong to. Most days I try to make my little pocket of America a place that lives up to its values for once. That looks like volunteering for community meals, honking support for the protestors in the picket lines, comforting my partner when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shows up at the preschool where she teaches, doing something, doing anything, doing everything I can to feel like there could be good here in this place despite the evidence. Mayra Balderas: Hi, my name is Mayra. I am from Mexico. I came to the United States in 1988. I have been living in Chelsea since then. I became a citizen in 2000. Now, I'm on a school committee in Chelsea. I believe that where I was born is my first place, but also I grew up here, so that means that I have more American than Mexican. People who really come here to make a difference and to become somebody, meaning like go to school, have a great job, I feel like we need to support those people. When [you become] president, you swear that you are gonna take care of your constituents. You don't expect that people are going to have this behavior. The way they're behaving and the way they are treating the constituents and not respecting our rights, that makes you feel like they don't want you here, even though you are a citizen. Only because they see your color and you are not white. I'm not gonna give up, myself. I feel like if everybody fights for justice and makes a big voice and gets together and says, 'No, we don't like what they're doing,' I think we can make a difference because this is not okay. Sidhi Dhanda: My name is Sidhi. I'm from Hopkinton, Massachusetts. I'm not a proud American. I can't be, not while voting rights are rolled back under the guise of security, freedom of speech and science are under attack, and there is the ever looming threat of the end of democracy. But I am a grateful American. There are a few places in the world where someone like me, the daughter of a single immigrant father with a funny name, would've had the opportunity to live a life not defined by those circumstances. The place my family comes from, India, a country I love deeply, might not have seen my story the same way, but here in the U.S. it has not come close to defining me. I just finished my first year at Harvard, an opportunity I likely wouldn't have had if I was born elsewhere. Right now, it's hard to feel pride in a nation making so many painful choices. So no, I'm not a proud American, but I am a grateful one. Michael Barbalat: My name is Michael Barbalat and I live in Newton, Massachusetts. My parents and grandparents came to this country from the Soviet Union. When they arrived, they didn't have job guarantees. They didn't have a plan. They didn't even have much English, but they believed America would give them a chance to start again. And it did. Even as a kid, I understood that being here meant being able to speak your mind, choose your own path, and live without fear. For me, being American means having the freedom to think for yourself. It means being able to build your life in a way that feels right to you, without having to follow a predetermined path. It's not always easy, it's not promised, and it's definitely not perfect, but there's something unique and amazing about the idea that in this country, your future is in many ways up to you. Ian Thomson: My name's Ian Thomson. I live in Cape Town, South Africa. Born abroad to American and Colombian parents, raised across cultures and continents, my identity was never simple. At 18, I consciously chose America, not out of obligation, but out of admiration for its core values. My commitment deepened when I joined the Marines, eager to embody and defend the principles that drew me: integrity, equality, and the constitutional promise of justice for all. I finally felt that my Americanness was unquestionable when I pinned on the 'Eagle, Globe, and Anchor' for the first time at the end of Officer Candidate School, where our motto was, 'Ductus Exemplo,' imploring us to lead by example. That symbol, and those words, represented much more than military service. They stood for a nation's deepest ideals, ideals that I was prepared to uphold and represent internationally even at personal risk. Today, however, my American pride is tinged with betrayal, not solely by leaders acting in self-interest, but by my fellow Americans whose silence and acceptance of falsehoods have allowed dangerous narratives to flourish. Recent events remind us of how easily power cloaks itself in moral pretense. History warns us that empires rise through shared virtue and then fall into decadence and division. I feel like America is nearing this critical juncture. This July 4th, let's reaffirm our commitment to integrity. Let's preserve a nation worthy of its promise. Because it's not solely the task of those wearing the uniform, it's the duty of all Americans who believe that leading by example with honesty and accountability is what truly makes us free. Leung: You can check out Globe Opinion's full package marking Independence Day at Thanks for listening. Happy Fourth. Listen to more 'Say More' episodes at Today's episode was produced by Katelyn Harrop and reported by Rebecca Spiess. Kara Mihm of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Shirley Leung is a Business columnist. She can be reached at
