I was always taught this as a child, but, as I have been exposed to civilizations of the past, it seems that America-- land-owning republic and all-- wasn't actually unique or incredible. From Milan's Ambrosian Republic to Venice's Serene, from Dithmarschen to elected kings, it seems that one class, though large, being able to vote for representatives while everyone else is subjugated to, ahem, "taxation without representation," is nothing special.
Is this just American propaganda, or is there something I'm missing?
The radical difference is the relative autonomy of the states. The federal government was only licensed to exercise limited, delegated powers and the state government would retain legal authority in all other matters. In addition to vote in national elections you didn't need to own property (America's History Sixth Edition, page 194). Also the whole bill of rights thing was huge because the government was giving its people a large amount of protected freedoms. What makes this whole new government so radical to me is the fact citizens and states were the center point of the system. The federal government was supposedly the final authority but because states had their own constitutions and legislatures they could go against some federal restrictions with very little fear of reprisal.