After the Constitutional Convention in 1787, as Benjamin Fra…
After the Constitutional Convention in 1787, as Benjamin Franklin was leaving Independence Hall, a woman reportedly asked him, “Well, Doctor, what have we got?” Franklin famously responded, “A republic, if you can keep it.” This story serves as a reminder that a democratic system is not self-sustaining; it requires the active participation, vigilance, and virtue of its citizens to survive. Here is a question to test your understanding of this concept: What does Benjamin Franklin’s phrase “if you can keep it” most likely imply about the nature of a republic?
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