In 1776, a band of uppity peasants began the first successful insurrection able to cast off  the European caste system in Britannia's North American colonies. The founders of the American Republic took an immense step forward in creating a government in which all men [European males] were created, more or less, equal. While "savages" such as the aboriginal inhabitants of the Americas, and many an imported slave from Africa might beg to differ, it was nonetheless a radical transformation for the Europeans, who had been born into their status for millennia.

The 1860s saw the abolition of slavery in the USoA. Sadly, the equality which reigned in America among Europeans was not guaranteed by law to non-Europeans living within the States until the 1960s.

In our own opinion, it was this idea, reborn within the States -that we are all born equal and are free to achieve our full potential- which led directly to the Wright Bros. risking their lives for a dream; encouraged Tesla and Einstein to leave the old country; and rewarded Edison, Ford, and many others for their tedious tinkering. The American ideals of equality and liberty are what MADE us strong. Unfortunately, if we may paraphrase from one of our favorite novels. ...

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The Old Republic, was the Republic of legend. Greater than time or space, ... no need to note where or whence it came, ... only to know that it WAS the Republic. Once, ... under the wise rule of the Senate and the protection of the Constitution, the Republic throve and grew. But as often happens when wealth and power pass beyond the admirable and attain the awesome, then appear those evil ones who have the greed to match.   

So it was with the Republic at its height. Like the greatest of trees, ... able to withstand any external attack, ... from within it rotted, though the danger was not visible to its people. Aided and abetted by restless, power-hungry individuals within the government, the wealthiest families, with their virtual stranglehold upon the massive organs of information, were able to exterminate through treachery and deception the spirit of the Constitution. With the majority unaware, blinded easily via relentless lies and propaganda, another degenerate and illegitimate monarchy began to institute a reign of terror IN THE NAME OF THE REPUBLIC!     But a small number of individuals were aware of these new outrages and rebelled. Declaring themselves opposed to the New Order, they began the seemingly hopeless battle to restore the Old Republic. [1]

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Anyway, to sum this up with a quote and a few sites to surf,

"I AM A REVOLUTIONARY BY BIRTH, READING, AND PRINCIPAL. I AM ALWAYS ON THE SIDE OF THE REVOLUTIONARY, BECAUSE THERE WAS NEVER A REVOLUTION, UNLESS THERE WAS SOME INTOLERABLE AND REPRESSIVE SITUATION IN WHICH TO REVOLT" -Samuel Clemens

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Footnotes