The Pitfalls and Promise of America’s Founding Myths
by Colin Woodard/Smithsonianmag.com
Alexander Hamilton had no illusions about what would happen to Americans if the United States collapsed.
If the newly drafted Constitution wasn’t ratified, he warned in Federalist No. 8, a “War between the States,” fought by irregular armies across unfortified borders, was imminent. Large states would overrun small ones. “Plunder and devastation” would march across the landscape, reducing the citizenry to “a state of continual danger” that would nourish authoritarian, militarized institutions.
“If we should be disunited, and the integral parts should either remain separated, or … thrown together into two or three confederacies, we should be, in a short course of time, in the predicament of the continental powers of Europe,” he continued. “Our liberties would be a prey to the means of defending ourselves against the ambition and jealousy of each other.”
Hamilton’s 1787 plea was successful, of course, in that Americans adopted a new, stronger Constitution two years later. But they still didn’t agree on why it was they had come together and what defined them as a people.
She has traveled extensively, is a photographer, and writes on medical issues. Carol has three children RJ, Katherine, and Stephen – one daughter-in-law; Katie – two granddaughters; Isabella Marianna and Zoe Olivia – and one grandson, Alexander Paul. She also shares her life with husband Gordon Duff, many cats, and two rescue pups.
Carol’s Archives 2009-2013
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hamilton was planted here by the english crown to sabotage the american revolution, and he succeeded. he argued in favor of a king at the constitutional convention. they were not authorized to do what they did. it was a coup. we were not founded as 1 nation, but as many nations held together by a firm league of friendship. the constitution caused the war between the states. the war erupted out of a 70 year argument over it. the lincoln cult had lincoln killed to make him the great emancipator, they did this because the world was watching and they played the morality card to cover up the atrocity…. lincoln destroyed the voluntary union formed by the founders and replaced it with one held together by the point of a gun…
There was one unifying agreement, no more kings or popes.
Those are still hoping we fail.
Excellent article on the Smithsonian.
Huguenots were not Puritans. Puritans were not Huguenots.
My French Protestant ancestors, not at all steeped in rigid thought, got along in the frontier with the Algonquin and Seneca, and one Mr. Galbraith married an Algonquin woman who worked for the Postal service and delivered the post in the Commonwealth of Penna (equine delivery). Everyone was melting together nicely until certain instigators and provocateurs got involved, situation normal.
Descendants of the Indians who helped Washington at Valley Forge have told me that they helped the colonists because they thought they were preferable to the British, and even though their tribe was divided on the subject. But they chose to face the reality and deal with the invasion.
Rhode Island broke away and formed their own state because they didn’t want to deal with the puritans in a certain state. It was Rhode Islanders’ way of protesting rigid insanity in the neighborhood.
It gets old being lumped in on this website with ne’er do wells. I end up feeling that I must defend my decent and good ancestors. So, no. Americans are not descended from scum or “losers”. In EVERYTHING in life there is good, better, best; then not so good, even less good, and utterly bad. All levels.
I would add, with respect, that if one doesn’t allow for redemption from and correction of past mistakes, then the result will lead one to a path of quasi nihilism, maybe even despair.
The same “chosenness” that brought Europeans to this continent, displacing the indigenous and stealing their land and resources is exactly what the Ashkenazim are doing in Palestine. Manifest Destiny equals Zionism equals racism, pure and simple.
Yes. “Why can’t we all just get along?”
Because it’s the self-serving and ruthless who run the world, and “getting along” is not in their plans, over even in their minds.