[GCFL-discuss] American History According to Paddy O'Malley

[Discussion of the Good, Clean Funnies List]

Jeanene, if my sense of American history came from what I was taught in
school, it would amount to almost nothing. Some of it is independent
reading, some of it is simply listening to people talk, here and there,
on Greyhounds, at family gatherings, in small towns, in large parks...
some of it is visiting interesting historic sites, some of it is writing
an article and having to read up on the subject so I really know what I'm
talking about. I find some really good stuff at rummage sales and used
book stores, not to mention free boxes, which have such gems as the
out-of-print autobiography of Ephraim Tutt. I do worry that people who
don't really know our history in depth are voting as if they did.
Everyone should read the Federalist Papers before they talk about the
courts, whether as admirers or critics.

My mother was a child in the days when children were expected to
memorized Bible verses, chapters, whole books, and she could recite large
portions her entire life. I wish I had that kind of recall, but I never
devoted the time to it.

Nothing in National Treasure is true, but it was an entertaining plot.

The presidents under the Articles of Confederation didn't do much, and
there were many of them serving short terms, elected by congress, so
there's not much to remember about them, except that there were some, so
Washington was not the first president of the U.S., just the first under
the Constitution.

Lance, that is a cute random fact, and very much in character for
Churchill. No wonder de Gaulle thumbed his nose at Britain (and the U.S.)
as soon as he had the chance. Now I know one more bit of history I didn't
know before. Thanks.

Siarlys
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