What a fascinating piece!! I can't imagine how surreal it was to look at those documents and what they stood for and then think about how things are going today.
" I am constantly told by regretful Yanks that their country doesn’t have real history like England. Pish!" Exactly. I say this to anyone who will listen! And, "One does not need to be high-brow to appreciate the miracles of political history." Absolutely. That's I think a key difference between the US and many other countries (even if frequently what Americans think they know is wrong!).
I love the idea that these foundational ideas matter and that they persist and take root in a diverse society, even when many are unaware of the finer candid points
I found it a humbling and inspiring visit. Americans! So fascinating! Everything from the sublime to the Cor Blimey! Loved the trilby, baseball hat moment - so typifies all that is America. So pleased that you are living there and can explore below the surface and tell us what you see and feel about it.
Superb article! Your sentiments about these two wonderful museums is shared by my family. On another excursion, you might convince the kids to explore the Library of Congress (immediately across the street from the Capitol Building. Having lived in the DC area, I was spoiled for choice, but the National Gallery of Art is my favorite. Another "kid" treat is the Natural History Museum, which is across the mall from the Museum of Asian Art (which houses Whistler's nocturnal series and his "Peacock Room." Carpe Diem!
"The Woodrow Wilson Institute found just one in three Americans could pass a citizenship exam and less than a third of Americans under the age of 45 demonstrate a basic understanding of American government and history."
Even when confronted with certain facts of American history (slavery, Founders' deism, slavery as the primary cause of our Civil War, etc) many Americans resist the realities of the past.
Not many founders were deists. Better to think of them as proto- unitarians. That might seem to give the congregationalist founding root too much emphasis, but the underlying subject here is dominant ideas, and in that context it isn't easy to give too much emphasis to that root.
That's an excellent point and I will admit to relying upon other sources such as the Center for American progress in making that statement EG, Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Madison and Monroe. And they could be wrong as the George Fox institute and others aver.
I'm glad you and your family are enjoying our great museums! Thanks for bringing the historical meaning of "candid" to my attention.
What a fascinating piece!! I can't imagine how surreal it was to look at those documents and what they stood for and then think about how things are going today.
" I am constantly told by regretful Yanks that their country doesn’t have real history like England. Pish!" Exactly. I say this to anyone who will listen! And, "One does not need to be high-brow to appreciate the miracles of political history." Absolutely. That's I think a key difference between the US and many other countries (even if frequently what Americans think they know is wrong!).
Agree v much that the point about whether Americans are right about their history is separate but related to this point.
I love the idea that these foundational ideas matter and that they persist and take root in a diverse society, even when many are unaware of the finer candid points
When is your agent going to pitch this series of essays as a book? As always, love these reflections!
Thanks :)
I found it a humbling and inspiring visit. Americans! So fascinating! Everything from the sublime to the Cor Blimey! Loved the trilby, baseball hat moment - so typifies all that is America. So pleased that you are living there and can explore below the surface and tell us what you see and feel about it.
It's such fun :)
Superb article! Your sentiments about these two wonderful museums is shared by my family. On another excursion, you might convince the kids to explore the Library of Congress (immediately across the street from the Capitol Building. Having lived in the DC area, I was spoiled for choice, but the National Gallery of Art is my favorite. Another "kid" treat is the Natural History Museum, which is across the mall from the Museum of Asian Art (which houses Whistler's nocturnal series and his "Peacock Room." Carpe Diem!
Museum of Asian Art is high on my list!!
Has America sunk so far that it is incapable of producing an effigy of Richard Nixon which actually looks something like him?
The pre-Watergate looking Nixon sells better but I agree
So glad you got this accidental sidetrip, but by "How seriously the Americans take their history"
you mean the Americans who are in positions to curate such splendid exhibits but I regret to furnish these facts for larger dismal context:
How Much U.S. History Do Americans Actually Know? Less Than You Think. https://share.google/wIfnQoq1w3rem9c6r
That was from 10 years ago but more recently...
"The Woodrow Wilson Institute found just one in three Americans could pass a citizenship exam and less than a third of Americans under the age of 45 demonstrate a basic understanding of American government and history."
Even when confronted with certain facts of American history (slavery, Founders' deism, slavery as the primary cause of our Civil War, etc) many Americans resist the realities of the past.
Not many founders were deists. Better to think of them as proto- unitarians. That might seem to give the congregationalist founding root too much emphasis, but the underlying subject here is dominant ideas, and in that context it isn't easy to give too much emphasis to that root.
That's an excellent point and I will admit to relying upon other sources such as the Center for American progress in making that statement EG, Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Madison and Monroe. And they could be wrong as the George Fox institute and others aver.