Includes bibliographical references and index.; The founding -- "The consent of the governed" -- "Who are to be the electors?" -- The rise and fall of American democracy -- Young America -- "Sheet anchor" -- "The bullet and the ballot" -- The gilded age -- The twentieth century -- The age of reform -- Silent sentinels -- "One person, one vote" -- "Give us the ballot" -- The war on voting -- Lost decade -- Marching backwards -- Five to four -- Conclusion: A democracy moment.;