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upplemental Reading
A
merica was founded on the principle that
all people have the same right to live in
freedom and be happy. Its main law,
the
Constitution, states that every person must be
treated equally. But for most of the country’s
history, this hasn’t been the case.
After the United States earned independence
from Britain, for example, it continued to allow slavery. After the Civil War,
when slavery was outlawed
and slaves were declared free, African-American
people did not have the same rights as white people. In fact, until less than fifty
years ago, African-American people were usually separated from white people.
They went to separate schools, slept in separate hotels,
and ate in separate
restaurants. They could not vote for the president and could not get the same
jobs as white people.
American women, too, have been treated differently than American men.
Until 1920, women did not have the right to vote. Until the mid-1960s, they
could be denied jobs due to their gender. Despite amendments to the
Constitution, many women and people who belong to minority groups still feel
unfairly treated in the US today.
US leaders admit the country has made mistakes in the past. However, they
point out that because of the laws written in the Constitution, there is always
hope of change. Other countries don’t
have this hope, so America still provides
the fairest opportunity in the world.
