How Important is 1776 in American History?

[micrometers]

I remember loving hearing the stories about the Revolutionary War and the heroics of George Washington when I was a child. But as I've grown up, I've come to realize that 1776 isn't especially relevant anymore.

Simply put, there are other groups in the USA which have no real connection to 1776. For example

-Irish, Italians, Jews, and other "white non-protestant ethnics"

-African-Americans for whom the Civil War was truly the war of independence

-Native Americans for whom American independence meant that checks on westward expansion of European settlers were gone.

So how much emphasis on 1776 is appropriate?

 

[Jaepheth]

That's when the Patriots beat the Red Sox for the cup, right?

:sneaky:

 

[Jaskalas]

You are... questioning the relevance of the creation of this country, as to its importance?!

 

[brandonb]

Let me guess. Its part of that agenda which says 1776 is no longer relevant and is obsolete.

Right Karmy?

 

[woolfe9999]

I remember loving hearing the stories about the Revolutionary War and the heroics of George Washington when I was a child. But as I've grown up, I've come to realize that 1776 isn't especially relevant anymore.

Simply put, there are other groups in the USA which have no real connection to 1776. For example

-Irish, Italians, Jews, and other "white non-protestant ethnics"

-African-Americans for whom the Civil War was truly the war of independence

-Native Americans for whom American independence meant that checks on westward expansion of European settlers were gone.

So how much emphasis on 1776 is appropriate?

This reminds me of the Malcolm X quote, "we didn't land on Plymouth Rock. Plymouth Rock landed on us."

Regardless, I think the history of the founding of the most powerful nation on earth is always going to be "relevant," regardless of one's viewpoint on it. Don't expect it not to be taught in schools. I'm pretty sure every country teaches its own history in its schools, including all important founding events.

 

[micrometers]

This reminds me of the Malcolm X quote, "we didn't land on Plymouth Rock. Plymouth Rock landed on us."

Regardless, I think the history of the founding of the most powerful nation on earth is always going to be "relevant," regardless of one's viewpoint on it. Don't expect it not to be taught in schools. I'm pretty sure every country teaches its own history in its schools, including all important founding events.

I think it should be taught, but if you emphasize that period instead of other more troubling periods, it is too much.

For instance, I don't remember being taught anything about the Irish. I also believe that it contributes to negative feeling towards other groups that find them outside of the 1776 paradigm.

And it is obvious that 1776 is still very popular. Notice the success of the John Adams series.

 

[micrometers]

Let me guess. Its part of that agenda which says 1776 is no longer relevant and is obsolete.

Right Karmy?

oh, this wouldn't have anything to do with the 4th amendment, now would it? Wait, 4th, 3rd, or 1st?

 

[IronWing]

It was critical. Without the events of 1776 we would never have had Bicentennial Minutes.

 

[Kadarin]

It was critical. Without the events of 1776 we would never have had Bicentennial Minutes.

Or the Bicentennial quarters from 1976.

Otherwise, yeah, 1776 is pretty much irrelevant in American history.

 

[highland145]

Thank the Brits and the American revolution for our 2nd Amendment. Shout out for Gen. Gates.

 

[IronWing]

1787 was far more important.

 

[crashtestdummy]

I remember loving hearing the stories about the Revolutionary War and the heroics of George Washington when I was a child. But as I've grown up, I've come to realize that 1776 isn't especially relevant anymore.

Simply put, there are other groups in the USA which have no real connection to 1776. For example

-Irish, Italians, Jews, and other "white non-protestant ethnics"

-African-Americans for whom the Civil War was truly the war of independence

-Native Americans for whom American independence meant that checks on westward expansion of European settlers were gone.

So how much emphasis on 1776 is appropriate?

You're assuming the event is only relevant for those whose ancestors were present at the time of the signing. All of those immigrants you mentioned came to this country because of the freedoms and opportunity it provided. For them, the declaration of independence is incredibly relevant, for in many cases the principles outlined there were the difference between the land they were coming to and the land they were leaving. There is no greater believer than a convert.

 

[Jaskalas]

To the OP,

A tree bears fruit because the seed was planted. No seed, no tree, no fruit.

 

[First]

It's an extraordinarily important event because it was the founding origin and nexus of all our existence here in the U.S. The initial seeds of dissent against the British crown and the eventual victory paved a direct path to other important events like the Constitution ~ 11 years later, the Civil War, etc.

 

[micrometers]

It's an extraordinarily important event because it was the founding origin and nexus of all our existence here in the U.S. The initial seeds of dissent against the British crown and the eventual victory paved a direct path to other important events like the Constitution ~ 11 years later, the Civil War, etc.

obviously it is important, but the question is is too much emphasis put on it.

I read somewhere that Tea Party activists were wanting to scrub the history books of references to minority history. I believe that they are largely in thrall to the 1776 myth.

 

[sm625]

The seed and the fruit and everything to do with the tree of liberty has been replaced by big government stooges ... and fart jokes. It doesnt take a history major to predict how this story ends.

 

[cybrsage]

1787 was far more important.

Without 1776, 1787 would not have happened, but without 1787 1776 would have been already forgotten. It is like asking which is more important, Easter or Christmas. Without Christmas (or, truthfully, the day Christmas represents), Easter would have never happened...but without Easter, Christmas would have been meaningless.

 

[cybrsage]

The seed and the fruit and everything to do with the tree of liberty has been replaced by big government stooges ... and fart jokes. It doesnt take a history major to predict how this story ends.

It goes out with a bang...and a foul scent?

 

[Craig234]

Just as the USSR became a nation of tyranny based on opposing tyranny from its founding, the US has become largely the enemy of its founding principles, at times.

The US was founded on 'the people' fighting an elite group with the power and wealth who used those things for their own benefit at the expense of the people.

The US was founded to not allow such 'elites' again to dominate the people, it was founded to have a humble foreign policy setting only an example of freedom.

It was not the nation that would assassinate elected leaders to install dictators and train and supply thugs for them to use to torture labor organizers to benefit corporations.

It was not designed to have its political system dominated by the wealth of massive corporations given constitutional rights as 'persons'.

It's very relevant - as a lesson of what the country was intended to be.

 

[Anarchist420]

The OP is full of errors. A lot of the Founders were Scots-Irish (prominent Anti-federalist George Clinton as well as Andrew Jackson's family), a few were Roman Catholic (the Carroll Family from MD and Fitzsimmons from PA), and there were a few prominent Jews.

Also, slavery was not part of the American Founding principles. It only became protected by the Federal Constitution.

 

[highland145]

Just as the USSR became a nation of tyranny based on opposing tyranny from its founding, the US has become largely the enemy of its founding principles, at times.

The US was founded on 'the people' fighting an elite group with the power and wealth who used those things for their own benefit at the expense of the people.

The US was founded to not allow such 'elites' again to dominate the people, it was founded to have a humble foreign policy setting only an example of freedom.

It was not the nation that would assassinate elected leaders to install dictators and train and supply thugs for them to use to torture labor organizers to benefit corporations.

It was not designed to have its political system dominated by the wealth of massive corporations given constitutional rights as 'persons'.

It's very relevant - as a lesson of what the country was intended to be.

On the bright side:

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]The Jamestown Colony was established as a communal society in which all settlers were required to work jointly together to provide for the community in the common store, as a whole rather than individually. As in most trials of this kind, many shirked their work and the people were not driven to be industrious but rather the few who were hard working provided for the whole who shared the rewards of their labor. [/SIZE][/FONT]​

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]"As at this time were most of our chiefest men either sicke or discontented, the rest being in such dispaire, as they would rather starve and rot with idleness, then be persuaded to do any thing for their owne reliefe without constraint..." John Smith[/SIZE][/FONT]​

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Though the King had instructed that this communal arrangement continue for five years, Governor Dale, realizing that this plan was a failure, instructed that each colonist receive three acres of cleared land on which the colonist was to plant crops for their own private use[/SIZE][/FONT].

The King is finally getting his way.


http://genealogical-gleanings.com/Jamestown.htm

 

[Stayfr0sty]

I remember loving hearing the stories about the Revolutionary War and the heroics of George Washington when I was a child. But as I've grown up, I've come to realize that 1776 isn't especially relevant anymore.

Simply put, there are other groups in the USA which have no real connection to 1776. For example

-Irish, Italians, Jews, and other "white non-protestant ethnics"

-African-Americans for whom the Civil War was truly the war of independence

-Native Americans for whom American independence meant that checks on westward expansion of European settlers were gone.

So how much emphasis on 1776 is appropriate?

FYI the Irish,Italians and Jews helped build most of the eastern part of this country....... And they had to form their own "protection" from the white protestants that didnt want them here.
As for the native americans, they are the only TRUE americans.
Rest of us are all just on their land.

 

[micrometers]

The OP is full of errors. A lot of the Founders were Scots-Irish (prominent Anti-federalist George Clinton as well as Andrew Jackson's family), a few were Roman Catholic (the Carroll Family from MD and Fitzsimmons from PA), and there were a few prominent Jews.

Also, slavery was not part of the American Founding principles. It only became protected by the Federal Constitution.

No, I am not full of errors. The whole Irish identity thing was something that had to be fought for and won by the wave of Irish that came with the potato famine. And that is not taught in the books.

Slavery was not a founding principle and yet it was tolerated. This makes the principles less than absolute, do they not?

 

[Fern]

-snip-
As for the native americans, they are the only TRUE americans.
Rest of us are all just on their land.

Given that we know they are descendants of people who migrated here from Europe and Asia, how are they TRUE Americans?

Fern

 

[Zebo]

Consent of the governed. Nuff said. I don't think you were taught just how radical founding fathers were in a historical sense and the world followed years after. Some still live under yoke of royalty and depots, but all want what they gave us.

It's the most important year in world history probably.