Ravalli County Democratic Central Committee

1 week ago

𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲
𝘣𝘺 𝘋𝘰𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬

We have all had school classes in American History. Many of us have had to take American History on multiple occasions. But were we really learning the truth and depth of American History? Or were we learning the portion of American History that our leaders decided we should learn?

When I was in school I never had the understanding nor the temerity to question what I was being taught in history. I assumed that our instructors were teaching us the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. As an adult I learned the phrase attributed to Winston Churchill “History is written by victors.” More than that, we were taught the winners’ interpretation of history. I also discovered the quote of George Santayana “Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.”

I am going to list some dates (the dreaded dates from American History class) that I was never taught in school and I will venture a guess that you weren’t either. However, I will argue that if we don’t know these dates and understand the circumstances surrounding them, then we do not truly know American History.

𝘈𝘶𝘨𝘶𝘴𝘵 1619
𝘔𝘢𝘺 27, 1637
𝘔𝘢𝘺 28, 1830
𝘍𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺 27, 1851
𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 3, 1859
𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 17, 1862
𝘖𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘳 24, 1871
𝘔𝘢𝘺 6, 1882
𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 4, 1907
𝘈𝘶𝘨𝘶𝘴𝘵 17, 1915
𝘑𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺 28, 1918
𝘔𝘢𝘺 31, 1921
𝘑𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺 26, 1929
𝘍𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺 19, 1942
𝘔𝘢𝘺 4, 1970
𝘍𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺 28, 1993

If you are curious and want to start learning more of American History, below is a cheat sheet to give you clues on where and what topics to begin your exploration.

𝘈𝘶𝘨𝘶𝘴𝘵 1619
The White Lion, an English privateer anchored in the James River, Virginia with the first cargo of African slaves.

𝘔𝘢𝘺 27, 1637
English militia from Massachusetts and Connecticut launched a surprise attack on the fortified Pequot village of Mystic.

𝘔𝘢𝘺 28, 1830
President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act.

𝘍𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺 27, 1851
Congress passed the Indian Appropriations Act which created the Indian reservation system.

𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 3, 1859
The Great Slave Auction – 436 men, women and children were auctioned off to pay the debts of Pierce M. Butler.

𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 17, 1862
General Ulysses S. Grant signed an order expelling all Jews from Tennessee, Mississippi and Kentucky.

𝘖𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘳 24, 1871
The Chinese Massacre in Los Angeles, California.

𝘔𝘢𝘺 6, 1882
The Chinese Exclusion Act was signed by President Chester A. Arthur.

𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 4, 1907
The Bellingham Riots in which a mob of 400 – 500 white men attacked a community of Sikh immigrants.

𝘈𝘶𝘨𝘶𝘴𝘵 17, 1915
Leo Max Frank, an American Jew, was lynched by a mob after a court had overturned his prior conviction of murder.

𝘑𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺 28, 1918
Texas Rangers, U.S Cavalry soldiers and local ranchers attacked and killed 15 unarmed Mexican American men and boys in Porvenir, Texas.

𝘔𝘢𝘺 31, 1921
The Tulsa, Oklahoma race massacre.

𝘑𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺 26, 1929
William K. Hale was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Osage women and men.

𝘍𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺 19, 1942
President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 authorizing Japanese Relocation.

𝘔𝘢𝘺 4, 1970
The Kent State Massacre

𝘍𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺 28, 1993
The beginning of the Waco Siege.

I have always been proud of my country but after learning this list and the many, many more examples of events that I was never taught, I realize that my view of America has been through the rose colored lenses of being a white male. If my skin were another color or even if I had been born female, my opinion of American History would be much different. It is time to take off the rose colored glasses and view the reality of this Grand Experiment.

I still love my country. I just have to see her with her blemishes. As with many friends, we love them not because of who they are but in spite of who they are. I ask you to study these dates, learn the full history of America and then strive to make America the nation she hopes to be. ... See MoreSee Less