These two words do mean about the same thing. However, there is a slight difference in CONNOTATION (feeling, mood). With the word "liberty", we usually think of being "liberated" FROM some sort of harm, oppression or restraint. With the word "freedom", we usually think of being "free" TO DO some activity, or to ACT ON some right. So "liberty" hints at the bad that could have been or that existed in the past, while "freedom" hints at the life and activities available now and in the future.

Many times there is no explicit difference. There is a reason for that: 'Liberty' comes via French from Latin (one language family) and 'Freedom' from Proto-Germanic (another language family). From 'freedom' usually comes the adjective word, 'free', and from 'liberty' usually comes the less abstract (or even concrete) noun written the same, but that makes plural form. e.g. "They took the liberties of inviting the guests and of showing the house to them." "They stole our liberties." [each one of them, 'liberty' being something that can be possessed AND counted, so, less abstract]

1.Freedom is when you are free to choose what you wish and do what you wish..Liberty is the "freedom from Slavery" and the word Liberty is excessive freedom. But most of the time we only use freedom. 2.WHAT exactly are we fighting for? In his speech to the nation on Wednesday, President Bush said it was to "defend our freedom" and "bring freedom to others." Nowadays, Americans always go to war under the banner of freedom, ours or theirs: Operation Iraqi Freedom follows Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. There was a time when the campaign would have been fought in the name of liberty. The recent efforts to rebaptize French fries as "freedom fries" contrast with the World War I renaming of sauerkraut as "liberty cabbage" and dachshunds as "liberty dogs." Freedom fries may have owed something to alliteration, but liberty was much more prominent in the patriotic lexicon back then than it is now. Americans bought liberty bonds and planted liberty gardens; factories turned out liberty trucks and liberty aircraft engines.