No ideal is more central to American values than liberty.Discuss what Americans mean by liberty and some of the ways that this conception has changed over time.

There are two components to this question.
a.What Americans mean by liberty: For Americans,liberty means freedom from government control as well as economic freedom.Both are closely linked to the idea of limited government,meaning that powers are defined and limited by a constitution.The word "liberty" has come to mean many of the freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights: freedom of speech,the right to assemble,and the right to practice religious beliefs without interference from the government.
b.How liberty has changed over time: Over the course of American history,the scope of personal liberties has expanded as laws have become more tolerant and as individuals have successfully used the courts to challenge restrictions on their individual freedoms.Far fewer restrictions exist today on the press,political speech,and individual moral behavior than in the early years of the nation.Even so,conflicts persist over how personal liberties should be extended and when personal liberties violate community norms.In the first century of the Republic,support for economic liberty often meant support for the doctrine of laissez-faire,an economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately owned and operated for profit with minimal or no government interference.Laissez-faire capitalism allowed very little room for the national government to regulate trade or restrict the use of private property,even in the public interest.Americans still strongly support capitalism and economic liberty,but they now also endorse some restrictions on economic freedoms to protect the public.Today,federal and state governments deploy a wide array of regulations in the name of public protection.These include health and safety laws,environmental rules,and workplace regulations.