Sophia A. Nelson - E Pluribus ONE: Reclaiming Our Founders Vision for a United America

Copyright 2017 by Sophia A. Nelson

Cover design by Jody Waldrup. Cover photography by Dreamstime, Inc.

Cover copyright 2017 by Hachette Book Group, Inc.

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First ebook edition: January 2017

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ISBN 978-1-4555-6937-3

E3-20161201-JV-NF

What a fantastic, straightforward, and honest book about what our founding fathers and mothers envisioned for us as one unified and proud nation.

Betsy Rothstein, Columnist, The Daily Caller

A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the beginnings and greatness of America.

Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer, San Diego, California

Sophia Nelson reviews and revives the unshakable values that bonded Americans from our foundingthrough the Civil Warto the present. Its nothing short of magnificent, serving as inspiration for every citizen who seeks our national healing.

Donna Brazile, ABC This Week Contributor

Sophia Nelson has done it again. E Pluribus One is more than just an American history book, it is a book of American inspiration and what has kept us one, united people for over 240 years.

Rebecca Lopez, WFAA Dallas News

Sophia Nelson makes a compelling case for a fractured America to realize that we are still in this thing together. It may not feel like it, but we are more united than divided.

Roland S. Martin, Tom Joyner Morning Show and News One Now Anchor

In times of great turmoil, Sophia Nelson reminds us that our nation is stronger when we celebrate and respect our diversity, that our survival depends upon an enlightened citizenry.

ALelia Bundles, Chairman, National Archives Foundation

As America looks for guidance and direction this book provides a road map. Sophia Nelson brings critical thinking to the nations attempt to unify.

Ed Gordon, The Steve Harvey Morning Show and host of Ed Gordon on Bounce TV

T he author wishes to acknowledge that she has used mostly secondary (and some primary sources where available) to compile the biographical sketches for the men and women profiled in each chapter of this book. This book is meant to be more current affairs, political science, and political inspiration as opposed to historical biography. Hence, the author was careful to provide sources in the endnotes section, indicating where she gathered her information for the book as well as how she adapted, analyzed, and/or interpreted secondary sources such as abstracts, articles, encyclopedias (online such as Wikipedia and Encyclopaedia Britannica), history and biography websites, as well as the Library of Congress, historical societies, and scholarly texts. Every possible effort has been made to properly credit every source used. If a source was left out in error, please bring it to the publishers attention and we will gladly correct and update subsequent editions of the work.

To Alexandra and Mikaela Nelson

May the America you inherit from my generation be as great as the one I have lived in and benefited from so abundantly thanks to my parents and grandparents generation.

America is the greatest land on the face of the earth. Never forget it.

Please be good and engaged citizens. Help to make America an even greater nation for the children and grandchildren I pray you are blessed to have someday.

Love always,
Aunt Sophia

The United States of America shall be a republic.

All men are created equal, and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, among them Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

The unalienable rights of the people are most likely to be preserved if the principles of government are set forth in a written constitution.

A constitution should be structured to permanently protect the people from the human frailties of their rulers. Efficiency and dispatch require government to operate according to the will of the majority, but constitutional provisions must be made to protect the rights of the minority.

The proper role of government is to protect equal rights, not provide equal things.

A system of checks and balances should be adopted to prevent the abuse of power. The government should be separated into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.

Only limited and carefully defined powers should be delegated to government, all others being retained in the people. Strong local self-government is the keystone to preserving human freedom.

A free people should be governed by law and not by the whims of men. A free people cannot survive under a republican constitution unless they remain virtuous and morally strong. The most promising method of securing a virtuous and morally stable people is to elect virtuous leaders.