Defining Freedom in Eric Foners The Story of American...

In Eric Foner’s book, The Story of American Freedom, he writes a historical monograph about how liberty came to be. In the book, his argument does not focus on one fixed definition of freedom like others are tempted to do. Unlike others, Foner describes liberty as an ever changing entity; its definition is fluid and does not change in a linear progress. While others portray liberty as a pre-determined concept and gradually getting better, Foner argues the very history of liberty is constantly reshaping the definition of liberty, itself. Essentially, the multiple and conflicting views on liberty has always been a â€Å"terrain of conflict† and has changed in time (Foner xv). Foner focuses, specifically, on how the definition of liberty has been†¦show more content†¦The redefinition of property not only affected the very meaning of freedom but also those entitled to enjoy it. Because economic resources, like civil rights, possessions, and land, is easily accessible, the limitations for men expanded. Nonetheless, the qualifications were still the same and in order to vote one had to be white, male, and own property. As civil rights were being expanded, it also played a role in the meaning of religious freedom. Because government were not allowed to interfere in personal matters, religious decisions were free from governmental interference. During the 18th century, the meaning of freedom has changed in so many ways. In Chapter three, we can also continue to this change. Social conditions such as the three process that occurred during the revolution also affected the meaning of freedom. The first was territorial expansion, Manifest Destiny being the underlying idea behind it, and moving westward to acquire more land meant more property could be own. It also reinforced the promise of economic opportunity given that with more land one was able to own a farm and participate in the market revolution. And with the revolution reaching its highest point, property owning qualifications for voting was eliminated and political democracy, the second process, mean â€Å"not ownership of property, but ownership of one’s self† (Foner 52). Voting was still the very meaning of freedom. However, voting was not the only definition of freedom