The Core Democratic Values are a very important part of American society. Without them, America most likely wouldn’t function correctly as an association. It would actually be detrimental. People would begin to rebel against the government because the loss of their rights. The definition of Core Democratic Values is Fundamental Beliefs and Constitutional Principles of American Society, which unite all Americans. These values are expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the United states Constitution, and other significant documents, speeches, and writings of the Nation. The definition in my own words would be
Fundamental Beliefs and Constitutional Principles in which unite all Americans. The values are expressed in many important documents, speeches, and writings of the nation. Some of these might include, the Declaration of Independence, or the United States Constitution.

Many people are at loss when it comes to knowledge about Core Democratic Values. I will be introducing all 10 Core Democratic Values to you.

The first Core Democratic value I will be teaching is Life.  An individual's life should be considered sacred except in certain highly restricted and extreme circumstances, such as the use of deadly force to protect one’s own or other’s life. All Americans have their right to live, without fear of injury or murder. Every individual person has the right to be alive without fear. There are multiple countries around the world where this right is not so true. In America, it is the government’s job to inflict this right upon all the people living in America. A great book to look at, that represents this well would be No Jumping on the Bed by Jim Alvaro.

The Statue of Liberty, what was it put there to represent many people ask. All you have to do is look to the Name itself, Liberty. The right to liberty is considered an unchangeable part of human life. At the heart of this idea is the understanding that no one can be blamed or held accountable for personal or political obligations of family or ancestors that come before them. The right to liberty includes: personal freedom- the right to participate in the political process, choose and remove public officials, to be governed under a rule of the law; the right to information and assembly; “Liberty is the only thing you cannot have unless you are willing to give it to others.” William Allen White. Liberty is our right to think, act, or behave without a single interference from the government. Personal, Political, and Economic freedoms are found here. A great book to look to would be Fredrick by Leo Lionni.

The Pursuit of Happiness, is a necessary Core Democratic Value that keeps people happy. The right of each person to find happiness in their own way, so long as they do not infringe upon the right of others.  One way that you use this right each day is having fun at home or school without taking that right away from other people. The rule for adults is, you may pursue happiness so long as it’s legal, doesn’t endanger the health, safety, or security of our country. A great book to go along with this right would be Big Orange Spot by Daniel Pinkwater.

Common good, “Ask not what your country can do for you,  but what you can do for your country.”  Individuals must accept the obligation to promote the wellbeing of the community and work with others for the greater benefit of all. Common good is when we all work together as a team to benefit the community as a whole. Building roads, homes, schools, and such is the act of common good. A great book to represent common good would be, The Lorax by Dr. Seuss.

When I think of justice, I think of superheroes fighting crime, but really that’s not all there is to it. All people should be treated fairly and equal in regards to receiving the benefits and burdens of society, the corrections of wrongs and injuries, and in the gathering of information and making of decisions. Justice is fairness! “Be fair”, or “That’s not fair” are some words you would usually hear coming from the average child when something isn’t going the way they wanted it to. Fairness is something we all expect from one another and our leaders. A great way to share this concept with younger children and all children for that matter, adults included, is to share and take turns. It’s sounds childish but it’s only the first step in a long line of steps. You can’t take giant leaps when crossing a river on slippery stones, you have to take everything one step at a time. An amazing book to look to that shares this concept would be Heroes by Eleanor Estes.

Equality is something we all want, All people have: political equality- and are not denied these rights unless by due process of law; legal equality- and are treated as equals before the law; social equality- and there should be no class system sanctioned by law; economic equality- which tends to strengthen political and social equality."…I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed:  We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal." Martin Luther King. According to the Constitution all people female or male, black or white are guaranteed the right to be treated fairly and equally when it comes to politics. The story Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles is a great way to help spread the knowledge of equality.

Diversity is one of the most well known core democratic values. It’s witnessed literally every day. Variety in culture and ethnic background, race, lifestyle, and belief is not only permissible but desirable and beneficial in a pluralistic society. Working and playing together comes to mind when we think of diversity. There were hundreds of years in which diversity wasn’t so appreciated. Now, it is a very different situation. Diversity is now widely celebrated by all Americans. An awesome book to look to that represents diversity would be Be Good to Eddie Lee by Virginia Fleming.

Truth, sometimes we think we have it when we really don’t, then there are those times when we are the ones telling the lie.

Citizens can demand the truth-telling by the government be their rule, since trust in their government is an essential part of the bond between the government and the governed. American democracy depends on our government and its citizens telling the truth, because truth is trust, and without trust we have nothing. Yet another book to look to would be A Days Work by Eve Bunting.

Popular Sovereignty gives us all that will power we need to keep going, that little fire in our souls. The people as a whole have ultimate authority over the state and holds that authority over public officials and their authorities. This would be the idea of majority rules. Whether you're voting for class representative or President of the United States, the one with the most votes wins. The Story of Mayflower Compact by Jim Alvaro is another book that I looked to in order to learn about Popular Sovereignty.

Patriotism is something we have all learned about. We’ve all used it as well, multiple times. Virtuous citizens display a devotion to their country, including devotion to the fundamental values and principles on which it depends.  Patriotism is a personal display of devotion and love to our country. We stand while someone sings the National Anthem as a sign of Patriotism.  A great book to look to for Patriotism would be America Too by Elisa Barione.

The Core Democratic values are critical to the well being of our country. Without them America would fall. These rights are practiced everyday by people around America, you as well. Even though we might not see it, we need these rights or we wouldn’t be living here anymore.