This documentary collection traces the development and meaning of democracy in America from colonial times to the present. It includes classic writings and speeches such as Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" as well as lesser-known gems such as Fannie Lou Hamer's testimony before the Credentials Committee of the Democratic Party National Convention. Written or spoken by presidents and ex-slaves, political theorists and poets, labor leaders and songwriters, Supreme Court justices and suffragettes, liberals and conservatives, these documents reflect the diversity and breadth of the American experience and the ongoing struggle to achieve the ideals on which the nation was founded. Each document is organized with a fact box, an up-to-date commentary based on recent scholarship, and a list of suggested readings. Forty-seven illustrations complement the text.