at least in developed countries can be found these days on the Internet, the fax lines, or the – – airwaves. 3A self-governing society, by definition, needs to make its own decisions. It cannot do that without hard information, leavened with an open exchange of views. Abraham Lincoln articulated this the people know the facts, and the concept most succinctly when he said: “Let country will be safe.” as a somewhat naive viewpoint, given the complexities and 4Some might regard Lincoln’s technologies of the 20th century; but the need for public news has been a cornerstone of the start. America’s system almost from 5Thomas Jefferson felt so strongly about the principle of free expression he said something that non-democrats must regard as an it were left to me to decide whether we should absurdity: “If have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the The implication of those words is that self-governance is latter.” more essential than governance itself. Not so absurd, perhaps, if you had just fought a war against an oppressive government. Chunk 2 Key Ideas and Details How important is a free press to a democratic society? View Response Key Ideas and Details As you read Chunk 2, annotate how the author uses diction to maintain an objective tone. 6In the wake of successful revolution, it was decided there should indeed be America’s government, but only if it were accountable to the people. The people, in turn, could only hold
– at least in developed countries – can be found these days on the Internet, the fax lines, or the airwaves. 3A self-governing society, by definition, needs to make its own decisions. It cannot do that without hard information, leavened with an open exchange of views. Abraham Lincoln articulated this concept most succinctly when he said: “Let the people know the facts, and the country will be safe.” 4Some might regard Lincoln’s as a somewhat naive viewpoint, given the complexities and technologies of the 20th century; but the need for public news has been a cornerstone of America’s system almost from the start. 5Thomas Jefferson felt so strongly about the principle of free expression he said something that non-democrats must regard as an absurdity: “If it were left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” The implication of those words is that self-governance is more essential than governance itself. Not so absurd, perhaps, if you had just fought a war against an oppressive government. Chunk 2 Key Ideas and Details How important is a free press to a democratic society? View Response Key Ideas and Details As you read Chunk 2, annotate how the author uses diction to maintain an objective tone. 6In the wake of America’s successful revolution, it was decided there should indeed be government, but only if it were accountable to the people. The people, in turn, could only hold