of the nation and its democratic credo. One even wonders if a similar series could be developed for many other nations or if the diversity of America and its tradition of free expression have given rise to more debates than elsewhere. Although many Americans have sought to crush the expression of oppos- ing views by invoking the imperative of patriotism, more often than not Americans have respected the rights of others to voice their opinions. Every four years, Americans have voted for a president and peacefully respected the results, demonstrating their faith in the process that institutionalizes political debate. More recently, candidates for the presidency have faced off in televised debates that often mark the climax of their campaigns. Amer- icans not only look forward to these debates, but they would probably pun- ish anyone who sought to avoid them. Put another way, debates are central to America’s political culture, especially those that deal with key issues and involve the most prominent members of society. Each volume in the series is written by an expert. While I offered my share of editorial suggestions, overall I relied on the author’s expertise when it came to determining the most sensible way to organize and present each work. As a result, some of the volumes follow a chronological structure others clump their material thematically still others are separated into two sections, one pro and one con. All of the works are written with the needs of college and advanced high school students in mind. They should prove valuable both as sources for research papers and as supplemental texts in both general and specialized courses. The general public should also find the works an attractive means of learning more about many of the most important figures and equally as many seminal issues in American history. Peter B. Levy Associate Professor Department of History York College xviii Series Foreword
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