Americans and History

     I have seen a lot op people lately complaining about the fact that Americans don't seem to remember history very well. And it is quite true. But, then, these same people think of history in terms of nothing more than names and dates. That's right. They single out the least important part and treat it as though it were the whole thing.
     It is simply not that important that the date on which Mr. Hancock signed the Daclaration of Independence was 4 Jul 1776. It would not make a significant difference if it were signed a year earlier, a year later, or at some other time of year. It wouldn't even matter if the names of the people involved were different. What is important is that the colonists were fed up with what they saw as oppressive treatment and decided to take the risk involved in taking up arms against the established regime. The events that unfolded and the reasons why people took the actions they did are the true lessons of history. Learning a bunch of names and dates is missing the point.