<p>Drawn from an examination of human nature, the foundations of the government of the United States are oriented around the ideas of liberty and equality as articulated in the natural rights tradition of John Locke and others. This tradition holds that, by nature of their existence, human beings possess rights independent of any governing or societal power. In the maintenance of these rights, natural rights thinkers saw the greatest possibility for individuals to flourish through the freedom to direct their own lives. </p>
<p>It was an understanding of these fundamental principles that informed the design of the <a href="https://billofrightsinstitute.org/primary-sources/constitution" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United States Constitution</a> and the <a href="https://billofrightsinstitute.org/primary-sources/bill-of-rights" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bill of Rights</a>. The principles below define the Constitution’s protections for this purpose. In understanding these principles, ‘We the People’ are better able to protect and advance freedom and opportunity for all.</p>
<p>Together, these principles bind diverse, self-governing people together in communities and promote a healthy civil society. The list below is not comprehensive but provides a starting place for investigating the American experiment in self-government.</p>
<p>The maintenance of our republican government requires the people be vigilant, informed, and virtuous, ensuring that governing institutions are directed towards their right ends. Good habits, or virtues, promote self-government and help guarantee that communities orient themselves towards advancing the spirit of a common purpose. The continuation of the American experiment in self-government requires we know, understand, and practice these virtues. A list of civic virtues and their corresponding vices are provided below. Lessons that explore these topics are linked where available. </p>