Vocabulary from "John Quincy Adams' address on July 4, 1821"

In this speech, delivered on the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, John Quincy Adams outlines not only the history leading up to the Revolutionary War and the establishment of America, he also traces the history of the very idea at the heart of America- that the right to govern issues from the people themselves. Less than 50 years into the life of the nation, Adams sees the embodiment of this principle as America's greatest contribution to the world. His point resonates even today, more than a century and a half after the speech was given. E-text available here.