Yes, the "Founding Fathers" of America were highly liberal intellectuals (whereas here in Canada our "Father of Confederation was an extremely drunk Scotsman, which has its own merits). The federation of autonomous states they set up was brilliant in concept - very much like the current European Union.
Slavery, however wasn't so much the *reason* for the war directly as it was a catalyst. The southern states were upset at the federal government overstepping the bounds of its authority and imposing on their sovereignty. Basically Lincoln (a southerner), in the name of emancipating the slaves, wholly subverted the very idea of "United States of America" and consolidated federal power, turning the union into an empire by forcibily conquering the states that wished to secede.
The whole idea of the states having independent militias was so they could defend their own sovereignty, making it impossible for a Caesar to rise up and cross the Rubicon. It was something that the Classically educated Founding Fathers did consciously and with purpose. After the civil war Lincoln severely limited that power and created a strong federal armed force and destoyed that. Over the last 100 years America has descended further and further toward pure imperialism. It's completely ironic that the very empire-holding nation they rebelled from is now a member of a union that is more like the "united states" the Founding Fathers had in mind, while the U.S.A. has become everything they rebelled against.
Wow, that was quite the rant. Thanks for the history lesson to go along with that. Kinda puts things in perspective. (hoo boy, am I ever glad I'm Canadian after reading that - ouch)
"I was born Feb. 12, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky. My parents were both born in Virginia..."
Last time I checked Kentucky and Virginia were south of the Mason-Dixon line. He was born in the south to southerners. And while he moved slightly north to what is now the mid-west, at the time it was backwoods nowhere, and (as it still is outside of Chicago) full of backwater idiots.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
Repost of a comment I made to the post I stole this link from:
Date: 2004-11-10 09:36 am (UTC)Yes, the "Founding Fathers" of America were highly liberal intellectuals (whereas here in Canada our "Father of Confederation was an extremely drunk Scotsman, which has its own merits). The federation of autonomous states they set up was brilliant in concept - very much like the current European Union.
Slavery, however wasn't so much the *reason* for the war directly as it was a catalyst. The southern states were upset at the federal government overstepping the bounds of its authority and imposing on their sovereignty. Basically Lincoln (a southerner), in the name of emancipating the slaves, wholly subverted the very idea of "United States of America" and consolidated federal power, turning the union into an empire by forcibily conquering the states that wished to secede.
The whole idea of the states having independent militias was so they could defend their own sovereignty, making it impossible for a Caesar to rise up and cross the Rubicon. It was something that the Classically educated Founding Fathers did consciously and with purpose. After the civil war Lincoln severely limited that power and created a strong federal armed force and destoyed that. Over the last 100 years America has descended further and further toward pure imperialism. It's completely ironic that the very empire-holding nation they rebelled from is now a member of a union that is more like the "united states" the Founding Fathers had in mind, while the U.S.A. has become everything they rebelled against.
Re: Repost of a comment I made to the post I stole this link from:
Date: 2004-11-10 02:35 pm (UTC)Re: Repost of a comment I made to the post I stole this link from:
Date: 2004-11-13 04:18 pm (UTC)Re: Repost of a comment I made to the post I stole this link from:
Date: 2004-11-13 04:36 pm (UTC)"I was born Feb. 12, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky. My parents were both born in Virginia..."
Last time I checked Kentucky and Virginia were south of the Mason-Dixon line. He was born in the south to southerners. And while he moved slightly north to what is now the mid-west, at the time it was backwoods nowhere, and (as it still is outside of Chicago) full of backwater idiots.
no subject
Date: 2004-11-10 05:46 pm (UTC)Brings a lot of joy to my heart.
I’m a fan of this thing here
http://72.3.131.10/gallery/1/