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from their former mother country -asserted that "all men are created equal" with the unalienable rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" -guaranteed that every American would have the opportunity to make their personal dreams come true -included only land-owning white men at first; did not include women, blacks or Native Americans CONSTITUTION -formal Constitution was adopted in 1787: system of checks and balances the executive (President), the judicial (the Supreme Court) and legislative (Congress) would share power BILL OF RIGHTS -first 10 amendments of the American Constitution -written because some delegates feared that the new American government would threaten everyone's ability to achieve personal freedom and the pursuit of happiness -guaranteed America's citizens certain unalienable rights regardless of class and background → religious freedom, freedom of speech and the press; right to bear arms; equal rights and opportunities for all American citizens EQUALITY AND FREEDOM -equality and freedom are cornerstones of American society -Bill of Rights guaranteed religious freedom, freedom of speech as well as equal rights and opportunities for all American citizens regardless of class and background -separation of church and state has led to modern America having a wide spectrum of creeds and believers -equality and freedom weren't granted to all American citizens automatically → after the Civil War slavery was finally abolished in 1865; equal rights for black people were achieved through the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s -American women had to fight for their rights; they gained the right to vote in 1920 -Native Americans and gays and lesbians still have to fight for their rights -equality of social order which offers equal opportunities for all in theory has often has a more sobering reality -education is free and available to all → but quality of education can depend on where a child goes to school; higher education is often a question of money -even in a democratic society, there are still class differences -Americans are proud of their ideals of equality and freedom -deep-seated patriotism is often regarded as arrogance by other people