Final answer:
African Americans were largely excluded from the founding ideals of liberty and equality in the United States, with the institution of slavery deeply entrenched in society. The rhetoric of 'all men are created equal' was at odds with the reality of African American enslavement and subjugation. Over time, African Americans' struggles for rights and recognition have pushed the country toward realizing its founding principles.
Step-by-step explanation:
To What Extent Were African Americans Included in the Founding Ideals of Liberty and Equality?
To understand the extent to which African Americans have been included in the United States' founding ideals of liberty and equality, it is essential to look at the historical context. At the nation's founding, African Americans were largely excluded from these ideals. The Declaration of Independence and Constitution set forth ideals of liberty and equality, yet this did not extend to the hundreds of thousands of enslaved people of African descent, nor to indigenous people or women at that time.
Despite the Revolutionary War's rhetoric championing freedom, approximately 450,000 enslaved black individuals were not granted liberty. The concept of freedom and liberty for white colonists was paradoxically dependent on the enslavement of Africans. 'All men are created equal,' as stated in the Declaration of Independence, was an ideal challenged by the systemic practice of slavery, which created a racial identity that linked whiteness with freedom and blackness with bondage and racial inferiority.
Throughout history, African Americans have fought to be recognized as equal citizens, with pivotal moments such as the Civil War and the civil rights movements. The hypocritical stance between America's founding ideals and its treatment of African Americans laid the groundwork for centuries of struggle for true liberty and equality, which continues to evolve to this day. The contributions of African Americans in wars and civil movements have consistently forced America to re-examine and push closer toward its founding principles of freedom and equality.