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A cabildo abierto was an open town meeting in colonial Spanish America, a tradition rooted in Roman practices where the city was the primary unit of local government. These meetings allowed citizens to participate in important decisions, and they played a significant role in the early 19th-century independence movements in Hispanic America. For example, the cabildo abierto of Buenos Aires in 1810 initiated the wars for independence in South America.1

In the United States, particularly in New England, a town meeting is an assembly where qualified local voters hold governmental authority. These meetings elect officials, adopt ordinances, and vote on taxes and expenditures, granting towns significant autonomy. The concept of a town meeting dates back to at least 1636.23

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  2. town meeting
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