Liberty and Justice for All

Mack gives examples from real life, Steves waxes philosophical about liberty, and Anne pursues happiness. REFERENCES The idea of liberty and justice for all has been a thing from the beginning, but the phrase is best known from the Pledge of Allegiance: Greene, Charlotte. “The Pledge of Allegiance.” USConstitution.net. https://usconstitution.net/pledge-html/ Can we start with the property-owning white men: Johnston, Mindy. “Timeline of Voting Rights in the United States.” August 28, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Timeline-of-Voting-Rights-in-the-United-States A 700-year monarchy: Britannica Editors. “Kings and Queens of Britain.” Updated December 5, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Kings-and-Queens-of-Britain-1856932 Many of the states, on their own by the early to mid-1800s, are expanding who can vote: University of North Texas. “A Brief History of Voting in America.” https://guides.library.unt.edu/voting/history-of-voting-America Take the free exercise of religion: Constitution Annotated. “Amdt1.4.1 Overview of Free Exercise Clause.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/amdt1-4-1/ALDE_00013221/ Originally the Bill of Rights did not apply to states, that comes with the Fourteenth Amendment later: Legal Information Institute. “Fourteenth Amendment.” Cornell Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/fourteenth_amendment_0 Public schools in Massachusetts were run by the church: Roos, David. “What School Was Like in the 13 Colonies.” Updated March 19, 2026. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/13-colonies-school On their own, states are going away from the connection between the government and the state-sanctioned churches that they had: Baily, Ellen and Newton, Heather. “Separation of Church and State: Overview.” 2024. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/separation-church-and-state-overview Around the time of the Civil War: Weber, Jennifer L. “American Civil War.” Updated April 19, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/American-Civil-War We’re recording this on Juneteenth: Britannica Editors. “Juneteenth.” Updated June 17, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Juneteenth/additional-info#history Wyoming in 1869: WyoHistory.org “Women’s Suffrage and Women’s Rights.” https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/topics/womens-suffrage-and-womens-rights The Nineteenth Amendment: National Archives. “19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Women’s Right to Vote (1920).” Reviewed February 8, 2022. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/19th-amendment When that amendment was ratified, around half the states already let women vote: Nelson Alexander, Brooke. “20 States Where Women Could Vote Before 1920.” Updated February 24, 2026. Reader’s Digest. https://www.rd.com/article/states-where-women-could-vote-before-1920/ Texas, nevertheless, ratified the Nineteenth Amendment: Dallas Historical Society. “Suffrage in Texas.” https://www.dallashistory.org/suffrage-in-texas/ Unless you’re in the South: Merrit, Keri Leigh. “Voting Rights and Restrictions in Pre-Emancipation America.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/voting-rights-and-restrictions-pre-emancipation-america There was a lot of variability: Olson, Grace. “The States Decide How Elections are Run.” July 9, 2025. National Conference of State Legislatures. https://www.ncsl.org/st