This article is part of a series on the |
Constitution of the United States of America |
---|
Preamble and Articles of the Constitution |
Amendments to the Constitution |
|
Proposed Amendments |
History |
Full text of the Constitution and Amendments |
Republicanism in the United States is a set of ideas that guides the government and politics. These ideas have shaped the government, and the way people in the United States think about politics, since the American Revolution.[1]
The American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence (1776), the Constitution (1787), and even the Gettysburg Address (1863) were based on ideas from American republicanism.[2]
"Republicanism" comes from the word "republic." However, they are not the same thing. A republic is a type of government (one where the people can choose their leaders). Republicanism is an ideology – set of beliefs that people in a republic have about what is most important to them.[3]