[hannasanarion]

The norms are generally established at the same time as the constitution is; ie, after a revolution or other major political event. I'm not a historian, but I can't think of an example of democratic norms being re-established peacefully after being violated.

[dv_dt]

Reunification after the American Civil War? Though I suppose some might argue that we are still suffering from that divide.

[hannasanarion]

But the norms of democracy were never challenged during the civil war. Nobody ever denounced the press or said that votes shouldn't count, or that the courts are illegitimate, or that the constitution was somehow wrong. It was a formal rebellion seeking independence under a different democracy.

[Balgair]

> Nobody ever denounced the press or said that votes shouldn't count, or that the courts are illegitimate, or that the constitution was somehow wrong. It was a formal rebellion seeking independence under a different democracy.

Umm...:

Press Denunciations:

https://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/21/us/sherman-letters-show-c...

Voting:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1860_New_York_state_election

Courts:

http://www.scotusblog.com/2013/07/the-first-court-packing-pl...

Denunciation of the Constitution:

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/primary-sources/declarati...

The 'different' democracy:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_(slave)

The problems of our ancestors remain just as alive today. Learning from history means to learn about the holes in ourselves.