#1. The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions 1798-1799
Drafted between 1798 and 1799, the states of Kentucky and Virginia presented political statements that took the position that the states had the right and duty to declare unconstitutional any act of Congress that were not authorized by the Constitution. These were written in secret by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. As a tool of balancing the power in DC this was an important move.
#2. Surrender of Cornwallis to Washington ending the Revolutionary War, 1781
The moment the greatest power on earth surrendered to our wish to be free. Oct. 19, 1781 in Yorktown, Virginia after a decisive victory made possible by the combined French and American forces under the leadership of George Washington and Comte de Rochambeau, Cornwallis surrendered. The victory and the capture of the British commander Charles Cornwallis resulted in negotiations and the end to the conflict.
#3. Declaration of Independence, 1776
The document written by the genius Thomas Jefferson with the assistance of Benjamin Franklin and John Adams. Written in under 2 weeks, the declaration was an attempt to put into words the views and thoughts of the American public who favored independence. Before this piece of important history was put into the making only eight colonies were in favor. After it was finished all thirteen signed “the fragile object which bears so great a weight of meaning to our people.”
#4. The Emancipation Proclamation 1863
An important step in the resulting liberation of all slaves in America and the first that ended in the Thirteenth amendment in 1865. This also resulted in the approval of France and Britain and ending the Confederate States’ hope of recognition. In the end over 4,000,000 slaves were freed, ending a dark part of American history.
#5. The Bill of Rights is ratified, 1791
To use the words of Thomas Jefferson “a bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse.” The idea to create a document that makes the government promise to respect certain individual rights such as freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, privacy, due process and equality before law was really revolutionary at the time, and was a beacon of light for the free world.
#6. The First Model T-Ford, 1908
The assembly line and mass production resulted in the first affordable and effective means of personal transportation affordable for everyone. The Model T-Ford was a huge step forward and a result of capitalism and the age of industry. The modern factory also proved how workers with skills managed to get higher wages as a result of competition between different manufacturers. Just imagine a world where you had to walk or use tedious transportation such as horses with carriages to go to and from work. The possibilities then were quite small compared to the amount of possible employers you could reach with the help of a car. Not to forget the impact of the market of items and services for private households. Where you now could easily travel long distances and therefore reap the fruits of more competition.
#7. Atlas Shrugged Published, 1957
One might not agree with everything Ayn Rand said and meant, but her philosophy of objectivism and the impact of her writings on libertarianism and the liberty movement is undeniable. She is considered today to be the most read philosopher, although there are hardly any classes dedicated to her teachings in any college or university. The sales of this book has been around 500,000 copies each year and total sales are estimated to be over 30 million.
#8. Ideal X – The first container ship, 1956
This might be an important part of history unfamiliar to those who have not been studying logistics and international trade. This was an event of great importance and made a huge impact on trade, rise in wealth and making the world a smaller place. In 1956 the rebuilt ship Ideal X set out from New Jersey on a voyage to Texas. Onboard were 58 metal containers. This was a revolutionary way of transporting, and the cost effectiveness was extremely high. The cost of shipping went down to 1/38 of what it had been only one day before.
#9. Commercialization of the Internet, 1996
Anyone that would reject the position of Internet as a part of the liberty movement and also a great leap forward concerning personal freedom and rise in wealth could be compared to the the ones that predicted “the web” to be a useless tool in the early 90s. As the socialist and communist activists in the late 19th century used new technology to produce newspapers, pamphlets and newsletters, the Internet has become an accessible and cheap way of spreading free market views, participating in discussions, and advancing liberty. If you also add later additions such as Wikipedia and Khan Academy, which gave everyone access to free and non governed sources of facts and education; there is no way to deny this invention its place among the other.
#10. The 21st amendment, The End of Prohibition
The day that government power was reduced and politicians in general admitted that criminalizing acts without victims does serious damage to the peoples respect towards the law. It will also be a testament for the future about the destructive forces of bans an prohibition. And one that in later years has given us more liberal drug policy reforms in many states. If the War on Drugs is ever ended, it will probably be argued using the 21st Amendment.
