The Freedom Bank of Georgia

When I heard today that the latest bank to fail in the United States was the Freedom Bank of Georgia, Josh and I decided that we really needed to learn more about the whole idea of "freedom." What does freedom mean to you, individually, as a nation? (to both Canadians and Americans, and well anyone else that finds this!) What does it mean to you in terms of history and at this moment in history? How does a government function in your idea of freedom? Why is the concept so integral to the American identity? Is there a similar component in Canadian identity? Do you feel that you are free?