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Sometimes, I'm downright ashamed of my country.


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Fine, so America created all these fancy gizmos and added all these conveniences to our lives... and is the Father of democracy as we know it... and a lot of other great stuff.

But still...

I'm reviewing for AP US History right now... and I was reading about the 1900s...

For example, take Andrew Jackson. He was known for completely turning America around, making the nation a "new" one. He started the spoils, system, for example.

But...

When he was forcing the American-Indians out...

I mean, the Cherokees went through the US legal system to fight its way up TO THE SUPREME COURT! And they got the right to stay.

But that damn Jackson said something like "The Court has made the rule. Now make them enforce it."

And then he went on and kicked them out anyway. IS THAT WHAT A "DEMOCRATIC" NATION WOULD DO?! Sounds more like a dictatorship to me.

One out of every four Cherokees died on the Trail of Tears. And then they were squished into Oklahoma with a bunch of other American-Indians.

Also, the war with Mexico? "Manifest Destiny" they called it? They had no right to take that much land from Mexico. Sure, American would be very different today had they not... but still...

In fact, they took Texas because Mexico didn't allow slavery. Good Mexico. Bad United States.

Then they went to war and robbed them of so much land...

Also, slavery.

I read that blacks were allowed to earn their freedom... at the beginning of the founding of America.

But then the Caucasian Americans realized that they needed that mass labor to maintain their cotton farms.

I admit that I'm very torn over this one. Because America's backbone of its economy was its cotton trade. If that fell, so would America most likely. But that gave them, in my opinion, no right to lord over the blacks. Some alternative should've been thought of. And that racism is still here to this day.

Now don't get me wrong, I love my country. I am very proud to have been born in America. Too proud sometimes.

But I just think...

America did a lot of wrong, too...

And thus I end my rant. X3

Maybe this shouldn't go in FFtF...

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America could have turned out alot worse. We (non-white americans) could still be living with unequal rights, or with no rights at all. Or, hell, there could still be slavery. Or we could be a part of the UK (not saying that the UK is bad). I think what matters most is that the country changed it's ways for the better.

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History is really fun like that.

It's why I enjoy Japanese history: I think every single historical figure contained there was a massive dickhole for some reason or another.

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Greece is the Father of Democracy, you know...

Hell, I sometimes feel ashamed about France too, you know...

And since I'm from Alsace, our history is even more complicated and full of shameful parts...

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The persecution of the Cherokee nation wasn't all Andrew Jackson by himself. There was a lot going on behind the scenes with that like the forging of treaties--the "Treaty" of New Echota being the one with the most impact, since it pretty much stated that the Cherokee was signing their land away when they werent involved in the treaty at all. Congress was pushing Jackson to do it, he wasn't the sole proprietor behind it. Also, under Jackson was the only time the US wasn't in debt, so he did something right there. By all means, I'm not trying to excuse him, I hate Jackson, but not everything was entirely his fault.

Also, you won't have a gilded age FRQ, we had one last year. I can't remember the other essays though.

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Don't forget the war of 1812, you lost to us Canadians, CANADIANS! Besides, if you give Native Americans too much freedom they form the hood (our natives are your black guys.)

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History is really fun like that.

It's why I enjoy Japanese history: I think every single historical figure contained there was a massive dickhole for some reason or another.

=o

I never knew Japanese history was like that.

._.

Greece is the Father of Democracy, you know...

Hell, I sometimes feel ashamed about France too, you know...

And since I'm from Alsace, our history is even more complicated and full of shameful parts...

I'm sure there are things to be proud about, too, right?

The persecution of the Cherokee nation wasn't all Andrew Jackson by himself. There was a lot going on behind the scenes with that like the forging of treaties--the "Treaty" of New Echota being the one with the most impact, since it pretty much stated that the Cherokee was signing their land away when they werent involved in the treaty at all. Congress was pushing Jackson to do it, he wasn't the sole proprietor behind it. Also, under Jackson was the only time the US wasn't in debt, so he did something right there. By all means, I'm not trying to excuse him, I hate Jackson, but not everything was entirely his fault.

Also, you won't have a gilded age FRQ, we had one last year. I can't remember the other essays though.

But they only were debt-free because of all that land the bought! Not much of a feat if you ask me, since it was done so... easily.

Now if they were debt-free now, I'd be very, very impressed.

But how in the world is Obama, or any president after him, going to get rid of a 17 trillion dollar debt? -_-'

Also, cool, no Gilded Age!

I guess that's... one less thing to prepare for?

Well, maybe I'll still cover it, because, you know, better safe than sorry!

Indonesia

Did I win this topic?

Eh?

Don't forget the war of 1812, you lost to us Canadians, CANADIANS! Besides, if you give Native Americans too much freedom they form the hood (our natives are your black guys.)

Didn't we lose because of British support rather than being defeated by Canadians themselves???

Also, please enlighten me on this, but when did Canada form? As in, when was it officially going by the name of Canada and when did it gain its independence? I'm genuinely curious because here I am studying all about US history, but I know next to nothing about my neighboring country... same applies to Mexico, I guess...

Edited by FranticforFreeFruityFruit
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Indonesia

Did I win this topic?

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFF--

Oh god, I shouldn't be laughing since it's my country as well. But still... oh my god, yes. Yes, you win the topic alright.

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We're such a poor country, we have traffic jam everywhere. Can't have all dem cars around you know?

And flood

And we are so famous for being EXTREMELY inconsistent with something called "time" that a manga outright mentioned that Indonesia is famous for its Rubber band clock

So, yeah, history be damned Indonesia wins

P.S. Did I mention Indonesian parents has an English fetish?

Edited by JSND
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A history friend once remarked on AJ thus: Andrew Jackson was a patriot, Great American, and also an unrivaled asshole. (He stopped short of going into detail on whether those are all synonyms.)

Mexico can have Texas back, as far as No, bad

I'm sorry Texans, I was just raised by half a family of people who were themselves born in Texas and who refer to their collective moving out as "The Great Escape"

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Show me a country that doesn't have atrocities and asshole leaders in its history and I'll show you a country you made up five seconds ago to try and prove me wrong.

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