American Revolution: The O.G. No Kings Rally
- Vanessa Hall
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
History of No Kings in the United States
If you grew up in U.S. public schools (or watched Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton), you were taught about the American Revolution wherein the colonies rejected the inherited power of King George to rule over the citizens and “taxation without representation.” Revolutionaries wanted self-determination and self-rule replacing an inherited monarchy with a representative government: a constitutional representative democracy.
For as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be king; and there ought to be no other. - Thomas Paine, In Common Sense (1776)
Unlike the present day No Kings rallies, the eighteenth century demonstrations during the fight for independence were not non-violent. They were political, armed conflicts against a brutal monarch. Their strength and success was so powerful that the American Revolution inspired an even bloodier revolution in France a few years later.
These revolutionaries developed state and federal constitutions so that power would come from the citizens, but would be exercised through elected representatives governed by a constitution, and these powers would be countered by checks and balances offered by separating the government into three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.
The U.S. Constitution was developed during the Philadelphia 1787 Constitutional Convention. To appease those that feared that federal power would be too great, the first 10 Amendments of the Bill of Rights were ratified in 1791 to protect fundamental individual liberties and civil rights by limiting the power of the federal government.
Of course, the Constitution detailed how the three branches of government would work to govern without overburdening civil liberties. However, in the shadow of a monarch, the Framers “were particularly focused on constraining presidents," says Professor Mark Tushnet (a researcher of legal history, constitutional law, and theory).
The starting point was that we’d gone through a revolution against monarchical power…. Nobody wanted the chief executive to have the kinds of power the British monarch had. - Professor Mark Tushnet
To ensure that a President would not have unchecked power, the Framers included limitations like the need to be re-elected, four-year terms, impeachment, and Article 1, Section 9, Clause 8 (a.k.a., the Emoluments Clause), which states:
No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.
Today’s No Kings rallies are not expressing “hate for America” as has been claimed; rather, they are celebrating the best of what the U.S. has to offer: revolution against tyranny, albeit this time bloodless and civil, and often with costumes. They are following in the footsteps of our country’s first revolutionaries by:
Returning to our country’s roots of opposing monarchy or a singular power without strong and vibrant checks and balances.
Opposing perceived authoritarianism in how current justice issues are being handled more like they would be under a monarchy or fascist government than under a democratic presidency.
Taking a pro-democracy stance to ensure that democratic processes and constitutional limits remain in this country.
Restoring “We the People” as the power from which the government derives its power and legitimacy.
Reminding the current Administration that dividing the country into those who blindly support his every move and those who are his “enemies” is against the very foundation of this nation. As Abraham Lincoln said when he oversaw a divided nation over enslavement, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." “We” are the free United States, and we stand for liberty.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Comments