Political Crossfire Forums

[Matt C.]

Without the revolution, nothing else would exist.


That simple.

[orange_resevoir]

Do you guys consider thoughts to be events?

[Uroborus]

micfranklin wrote: I personally think that the American Revolution was the most important event in American history. For one thing, it was the start of our independence from Britain, which we got eventually and the Constitution was born as well.

Anyone else agree with me?

I do see your point. However, the construction of the Constitution itself was the most important event in our history if not world history. A long time ago, nations of the world felt they needed three things to be taken seriously: their own coinage, their own flags, and their own military. Since we created the Constitution, everybody, even the most half-crocked nations of the world now feel that they must have some sort of constitution too.

Also, the Civil War was huge for a related reason: It was the first and most trying test of the Constitution.

[Uroborus]

Matt C. wrote: Without the revolution, nothing else would exist.


That simple.

And without the Constitution, it wouldn't really matter.

[eynon]

Moot wrote: FCTE wrote: Back to the topic.

I would argue that the Civil War is just as important as the Revolution, possibly even an extension of the Revolution and unfinished business from the Constitutional Conventions.

I concur. I've been brushing up on my history lately and I think you summed it very well. I also agree with your earlier comments about the cotton gin being the next most important event in US history. If not for the invention of the cotton gin, the institution of slavery probably would have died a natural death liked the Framers hoped it would after 1808. No slavery = no civil war. If slavery had died out as the framers hoped, I don't think there would have been a civil war at all. The South would have entered the modern world and perhaps the country wouldn't be as culturally and intellectually divided as it is today.

A few people might find this hard to comprehend as well, but slavery was never a legal institution in the US to begin with. The subject of slavery was debated during the drafting of the Constitution and a few consessions were made to the Southern States because of their dependance on slavery. But the institution of slavery itself was never legal under British law, Common Law, the Articles of Confederation, US Constitution or National/Federal law. So theoretically, the practice of slavery made Rebels out of Southerners long before the Civil War or even the Revolution for that matter.

IMO, the spark to the Civil War was the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and the flame was Dredd Scott. It was custom for a gentleman in the 1800s to slap an offender on the cheek with his glove, to indicate he wanted a duel to the death. Dredd Scott was a deliberate (perhaps even unconstitutional) slap in the face to the North.

Yeah, the fact that the Civil War is still being discussed like it was yesterday, I would have to say the Civil War was the most important event in US history. I don't think our country was fully united until the Civil War made it an undeniable fact. One might even suggest that the Civil War was finally enforcing the common law forbidding slavery.


http://medicolegal.tripod.com/slaveryillegal.htm

:tu: also I think that the history of civil-rights and race realtions would've played out differently if Slavery had died a natural death.....

[eynon]

orange_resevoir wrote: Do you guys consider thoughts to be events?

sure, but which thought?

[Rusthlen`]

If there is such thing as a 'favorite war'---then the US civil war has always been mine. For no apparent reason other than the realites of our nation clashing it out at each other.

True, the constitution was the one main document that binded the US finally together, however the war that most changed the US indefinetley, was the revolution. Finally breaking it off with England was a big step in creating the US at all. The Civil War is next of course, in the sense that the fight between beliefs and ideas in our own countries minds battled it out. Yet if you were to say that, than Martin Luther King, and all those presidents in the past also deserve some credit to change in our country--what from taking a stand against racism, and making decisions to go to war.

I don’t believe it should be pointed at one certain thing in the past that changed everything. The people, the wars, the documents— together changed what is known to be America today.

[eynon]

Matt C. wrote: Without the revolution, nothing else would exist.


That simple.

(shrug) we'd stay part of the Common-wealth and the Brits would eventually grant us autonomy like they did with the rest of their colonies. Infact as immigration to North America increased and it became larger and wealthier the Brits would most likley push for more North American autonomy in order to keep us from influencing Parliment too much(with bribes that is).

We'd still have the Queen on our money and a common military.....

[micfranklin]

Eynon81 wrote: orange_resevoir wrote: Do you guys consider thoughts to be events?

sure, but which thought?

If the thought of wanting to be free from another nation counts, then I guess you could say that.

[canucklehead]

The American Revolution was an important part of American history, after all there would not be an America without the American Revolution, that goes without saying. But, the results of that revolution were threatened during the Civil War. America was still a young country at this time and was not a big factor internationally. They were expanding westward having fought against the Mexicans in 1848. Some people would define this as progress and that America was growing. But, along with this came something that threatened to tear America apart and curb that progress. If there'd been the CSA and the USA they would be claiming all that western territory for themselves and all of those things and progress would have been nothing. The Civil War was the most important part of the United States History. They survived that as one nation, which led America into becoming one of the most important countries on the world stage.

[melchizedek22]

The biggest event in American history was Paris Hilton coloring her hair
Blond!

[Brucyboy26]

I said yes because all other events in America's history all have origins in the Revolution- whether it is in subtle or obvious ways.

[Siberian Fox]

Yes, the revolutionary war made the US exist, but what about WWII? We showed the world our strength, and developed a nuclear bomb. That affected everybody, I think, more. We also kept Japan from retaliating. :wink:

[sunwook]

Perhaps not the most important, but quite significant:

John Marshall's Marbury v. Madison & McCulloch v. Maryland