Have you considered the many magnificent achievements of our young country, which is still not quite 250 years old? (Do Americans even realize how very young we are as a country?) IMHO, America propelled civilization to new heights. In his article “A Look Back at American History,” Jeff Minick encourages us to “make a mental list of American achievements since 1776. (1) Judging from his list, Mr Minick probably would agree that America had a significant role in advancing civilization.
Consider These Achievements
Here are just a few of the accomplishments that made Minick’s list:
The Declaration of Independence
The Northwest Ordinance
The Constitution
The Bill Of Rights
The end of slavery
The transcontinental railroad
Henry Ford’s assembly line and affordable automobiles
The Wright Brothers and the first powered plane flight
Helping to defeat the Axis powers of Germany, Italy, and Japan
The Interstate Highway System
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
Americans walking on the moon
The personal computer
Adding to the List of Achievements
There are so many more achievements to be listed. I’m sure you can name a few uniquely American accomplishments, so let’s try it. Consider film, entrepreneurs, the arts, inventions, medicine, and more. For my part, I would add:
Winning the War for Independence (aka The Revolutionary War),
Logistics Advancements (getting goods from one place to another quickly and efficiently)
Keeping eternal vigilance over our liberty for 248 years
How Did We Achieve So Much So Fast?
Minick asks us this question: “How is it possible that a nation not quite yet a quarter of a millennium old produced such a dazzling catalog of accomplishments”? Indeed, how did we do it? We are more inclined to look at our differences and failures and less willing to think about how Americans overcame the odds so many times.
What do you think is a major factor that contributed to our young nation’s successes?
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. 🇺🇸
(1) Minick, J. (2024, July 3-9). A look back at America’s history. The Epoch Times, C
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