The Blessings of Liberty is a collection of historical primary source readings focused on the United States from about 1840 to 1920. The book introduces—through their own words, written or spoken—reformers who battled corrupt corporations or tried to help factory workers and people living in city slums; men and women who struggled to achieve equal rights and freedom for Black Americans after the Civil War; and, many remarkable women who fought for the right to vote. The primary source texts are grouped in three sections:

• The Progressive Era: Reform in a Changing America
• Reform for African Americans: Standing Up to “Jim Crow”
• Women’s Suffrage: Fighting for the Right to Vote

This book provides background information and helpful notes, but the heart of the text is in the voices of journalists, reformers, suffragists, and others who worked to extend “the blessings of liberty” not just to some but to all.

While this book can be used in History classes, The Blessings of Liberty is part of the Core Knowledge Foundation’s Language Arts program, which emphasizes content-rich reading in Language Arts curriculum materials.