>>50054000well there's lots of varying definitions of freedom.
At the time the Declaration of Independence was written it meant the freedom to choose one's faith, to speak on political matters, peaceably assemble, elect political representatives, own property, associate with whoever one pleases, own arms, etc. and no government could deprive a citizen of these rights without due process of law. Obviously most western countries have some version of these freedoms today (except for the right to bear arms) but we started the trend by creating a constitution based off of these principles. Considering that our government was founded explicitly on these ideals of individual freedom, we tend to hold to them very dearly.
today freedom can mean much more. It can be as nonspecific and utopian as "freedom from fear," it can also refer to more concrete ideas like economic freedom. Freedoms have largely been expanded to more and more Americans since 1776, and the government now takes a proactive role in ensuring that ordinary citizens do not unlawfully deprive others of their freedoms (like with police protections for protesters)
