And this week, when I saw that postal carrier in that giant straw shade hat, I saw someone who is on the front lines of American democracy.
When I say “history of American democracy,” do you think “postal service?” Probably not. I didn’t either. But it turns out the United States Postal Service has long played a significant role in the American experiment.
Since America’s founding, the USPS has connected the country. In 1775, a year before the Declaration of Independence was signed, the Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin as the nation’s first postmaster general. His job was to build a new postal system for the colonies. The purpose was to give the government a secure, reliable way to communicate with the public during a time of rapid change, which would soon give rise to American democracy.
Our forefathers believed a new nation could not govern itself or stay united without a dependable way to share information and stay informed. In other words, the postal system wasn’t just about delivering letters — it was about connecting people, spreading ideas and helping hold a new nation together.
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