Mythical Freedom
August, 2008
A PULITZER PRIZE WINNER QUESTIONS OUR IDEALIZE1 IMAGE OF 19TH CENTURY AMERICAN LIBERTYOur national mythology celebrates the freedom of 19th century Americans. Did Americans then enjoy more freedom than we do today? It's a complex question. Then, most Americans earned their living through agriculture. Owning land was a sign of a man's freedom and dignity, and land ownership was more widespread in the United States than in most other countries. Frontiersmen could sometimes get a free homestead...
