Wide Awake: A Call for Patriotic Pride in Our Constitutional Diversity and Unity

Symbols of Vigilance and Awareness in Defense of Our Republic

Brief Concept

The spirit of alertness and moral vigilance has a deep and proud place in the history of our nation. Being Wide Awake: being conscious of injustice and committed to correcting it: was a cornerstone of the preservation of the American Republic, the foundation of the Republican Party, and an essential service to the Union.

In 1860, Americans rallied behind President Abraham Lincoln through the Wide Awake Movement: a youth-led civic initiative promoting vigilance against the injustice of slavery and preserving government of, by and for the people.

Today, Americans who take patriotic pride in the diversity and unity of the United States may revive this tradition. Here are suggestions of a possible, subtle gesture of recognition and a symbol of recognition and support.

Gesture of Recognition

Slowly open the eyes wide, without raising the eyebrows, as a subtle acknowledgment of being "Wide Awake" to the founding ideals of liberty, equality, and justice.

Symbol of Support

The Eye of Providence enclosed in a triangle, as found on the back of every United States dollar bill, stands ready to be renewed as our emblem. It represents vigilance, divine favor, and the enduring balance of the Executive; Legislative; and Judicial branches.

We honor both our heritage and our hope:

We are Americans; we are Wide Awake.

Historical Foundations

The Wide Awake Movement

The Wide Awakes originated in Hartford, Connecticut, in March 1860, following a speech by Cassius Marcellus Clay, a prominent abolitionist and supporter of Lincoln. Inspired by the call to resist the expansion of slavery, a group of young men formed the first Wide Awake company, donning black capes and glazed caps; they carried lights in evening parades to signify vigilance and clarity of purpose (Gienapp, 1987).

As Abraham Lincoln emerged as the Republican nominee, the Wide Awakes spread rapidly throughout the North. By the November 1860 election, historians estimate that membership grew to between 100,000 and 500,000 (Neely, 2005). They organized peacefully but with firm resolve, conducting nighttime marches and creating highly visible reminders that civic engagement and constitutional principles must be actively defended.

The Wide Awakes adopted a motto of vigilance: to be "Wide Awake" was to remain alert to threats against liberty and equality. Their disciplined, often theatrical presence served not only to rally political support but also to symbolize a new generation's determination to carry forward the revolutionary promises of the American founding.

Many Wide Awakes later enlisted in the Union Army, directly continuing their fight to preserve a government “of the people; by the people; for the people,” as Lincoln would later immortalize at Gettysburg.

"The Spirit of Lincoln and Wide Awake Americans"

The Eye of Providence and the Founding Symbolism

The Eye of Providence, by definition, is perpetually Wide Awake, embodying vigilance without rest. The Eye of Providence, sometimes called the All-Seeing Eye, has ancient symbolic roots. However, it gained distinctly American meaning during the nation’s founding. (For a brief overview of the symbol’s global history, see "Eye of Providence," Wikipedia, retrieved April 28, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_of_Providence.)

In 1776, the Continental Congress appointed a committee to design a Great Seal for the new nation, consisting of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams (U.S. Department of State, n.d.).

Although early designs evolved over years, the Eye enclosed in a triangle was preserved in the final design approved in 1782. In this design:

The Eye represents vigilance and providence upon the nation’s endeavors.

The triangle symbolizes strength and the stable structure of government, particularly the balance of the Executive; Legislative; and Judicial branches as later codified in the Constitution.

The Founders had varying perspectives on providence:

John Adams supported the concept of moral government under divine principles.

Thomas Jefferson, although advocating separation of church and state, accepted the general motif of Providence overseeing liberty.

Benjamin Franklin, pragmatically skeptical yet culturally literate, recognized the unifying power of such imagery in inspiring civic virtue.

Providence, as traditionally defined, refers to divine care and guidance, often associated with foresight, protection, and prudent governance.

In 1935, under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Eye of Providence and the unfinished pyramid were placed on the reverse of the United States one-dollar bill. This act, guided by Roosevelt and Secretary of Agriculture Henry Wallace, reaffirmed the symbolism of America's destiny as a beacon of democracy and vigilance for future generations (McDonald, 1985).

Today, this symbolism retains a profound resonance. In a time of division, the Eye and triangle can remind us not merely of heritage, but of the living responsibilities we bear as citizens in a constitutional republic. The eye of providence is fully awake and under threats.

"The Eye of Providence Reawakened"

Conclusion

Abraham Lincoln believed deeply in the promise of an America governed by its people; protected not by authoritarian force, but by adherence to liberty, equality, and justice. The Wide Awakes of his era rallied not for mere party politics but for the integrity of the Union and the promise of freedom.

Today, in honoring that tradition:

We embrace awareness with pride.

We honor vigilance as patriotism, not extremism.

We reaffirm that diversity is the greatest strength of our republic as it faces the diverse world in which it stands.

By recognizing the diversity of America, literally a sample of all peoples of the world, we signal to the world that we are prepared to nurture freedom of all people, and, closest to home, of all American Citizens.

With open eyes and steadfast hearts, let us stand together to preserve the Union:

Americans; diverse; united; and Wide Awake.

References

Gienapp, W. E. (1987). The origins of the Republican Party, 1852–1856. Oxford University Press.

McDonald, F. (1985). Novus Ordo Seclorum: The intellectual origins of the Constitution. University Press of Kansas.

Neely, M. E. (2005). The boundaries of American political culture in the Civil War era. University of North Carolina Press.

U.S. Department of State. (n.d.). The Great Seal of the United States. Retrieved April 28, 2025, from https://www.state.gov/about-the-great-seal-of-the-united-states/