[Christianlady]

Hello

I am curious as to what the citizens of the UK nowadays think concerning the American Revolution and Independence Day of the USA from the UK?

It is something that you understand and agree with and are happy with the outcome?

July 4th is a huge and important day for Americans... has been since 1776!

What are your thoughts as the American Revolution and the struggle for Independence of the English colonists in the "New World" from the British Empire?

Thanks.

[Howard]

(Original post by Christianlady)
Hello

I am curious as to what the citizens of the UK nowadays think concerning the American Revolution and Independence Day of the USA from the UK?

It is something that you understand and agree with and are happy with the outcome?

July 4th is a huge and important day for Americans... has been since 1776!

What are your thoughts as the American Revolution and the struggle for Independence of the English colonists in the "New World" from the British Empire?

Thanks.

I don't think we ever consider it.

[Christianlady]

(Original post by Howard)
I don't think we ever consider it.

Do UK citizens study and analyze the past, including past interactions of their forefathers with other countries, including the "New World" and India?

[Steezy]

Couldn't care less really...

My main concern/gripe with my 'forefathers' is why the **** did they send the criminals to Australia and stay in the UK?

I could've grown up in Australia ffs

[Steezy]

Actually I take it back, the 'founding' of America makes me feel ashamed.

[Howard]

(Original post by Christianlady)
Do UK citizens study and analyze the past, including past interactions of their forefathers with other countries, including the "New World" and India?

Our "modern history" is a thousand years long (our starting point is 1066 - we just skim over the thousand preceding years) so the loss of the American colonies is a mere blip on our national calendar. It is not considered a major event.

And of course, like a any other country, our history curriculum tends to concentrate on our victories and achievements and not our defeats.

[Christianlady]

(Original post by Steezy)
Actually I take it back, the 'founding' of America makes me feel ashamed.

Please expound?

I personally am ashamed of my ancestors (who are from the UK) if they were involved in the murders of Native Americans and/or involved in the slave trade. I have no idea however what they did. I just know my ancestors are mainly from the UK (including Scotland and Ireland, who as far as I know these countries aren't all that thrilled of being a part of the UK anyways). If they were far away from the UK, it is possible that they would not still be a part. The USA's distance from the UK, as well as help from France, greatly helped the English colonists fight for independence from the English Crown.

As for Australia, what I have heard concerning what English people (prisoners or whoever I don't really care) did to the natives really makes me sad.

[Naami]

(Original post by Christianlady)
Do UK citizens study and analyze the past, including past interactions of their forefathers with other countries, including the "New World" and India?

Yes, we do study History in school, but we don't really learn about the American Revolution. We mostly study the World Wars, Germany and USSR (Bolshevik Revolution etc.)

However, I did learn about the Civil Rights Movement and the Arms Race during the Cold War in GCSE History.

[patrickinator]

We dont care! The war was against our current beliefs of self determination but to be honest it happened such a long time ago that no one thinks twice about it.

[Christianlady]

(Original post by Howard)
Our "modern history" is a thousand years long (our starting point is 1066 - we just skim over the thousand preceding years) so the loss of the American colonies is a mere blip on our national calendar. It is not considered a major event.

And of course, like a any other country, our history curriculum tends to concentrate on our victories and achievements and not our defeats.

Good point. That is an issue I had growing up with American textbooks that glorified the English colonists. Later, I began to learn history from different Native American sides, as well as from the African-American side, and I became so ashamed. It is true that one's own history concentrates on that side's own victories/achievements. It is very depressing when one's bad actions are studied... when studying about what English and Spanish people did to the Native Americans and the African people they brought as slaves, I just wanted to crawl under the desk. This was at a university designed for African Americans, because horrifically, long time ago, African Americans were not allowed at the same school as "white" Americans. However, nowadays, there are both African Americans and "white" or Americans with European ancestors, at this wonderful university I attended!

[Immi :)]

we dont care but it can be a great excuse for a random party

[james22]

In history lesson I remember we studied the 20th century a lot (both wars and the cold war), the battle of hastings and the events before and after it, the saxon and viking invations, the tudors, and the english civil wars. Not much was said about the empire.

[Steezy]

(Original post by Christianlady)
Please expound?

I personally am ashamed of my ancestors (who are from the UK) if they were involved in the murders of Native Americans and/or involved in the slave trade. I have no idea however what they did. I just know my ancestors are mainly from the UK (including Scotland and Ireland, who as far as I know these countries aren't all that thrilled of being a part of the UK anyways). If they were far away from the UK, it is possible that they would not still be a part. The USA's distance from the UK, as well as help from France, greatly helped the English colonists fight for independence from the English Crown.

As for Australia, what I have heard concerning what English people (prisoners or whoever I don't really care) did to the natives really makes me sad.

Well I'm not a historian but the jist of it is that, yes we travelled around the world, murdering, enslaving, raping, pillaging and disguising it as liberation and 'saving others from"""""""HELL""""""'

It's disgusting. And the worst part about it is we (UK, USA and other Western nations) are still doing it.

Also, America was a vast land, paradise in parts, plentiful. It could've been an absolute paradise. And as George Carlin said - "what is it now? a ****ing shopping mall".

[Howard]

(Original post by Christianlady)
Please expound?

I personally am ashamed of my ancestors (who are from the UK) if they were involved in the murders of Native Americans and/or involved in the slave trade. I have no idea however what they did. I just know my ancestors are mainly from the UK (including Scotland and Ireland, who as far as I know these countries aren't all that thrilled of being a part of the UK anyways). If they were far away from the UK, it is possible that they would not still be a part. The USA's distance from the UK, as well as help from France, greatly helped the English colonists fight for independence from the English Crown.

As for Australia, what I have heard concerning what English people (prisoners or whoever I don't really care) did to the natives really makes me sad.

Ireland isn't a part of the UK.

[Ra Ra Ra]

I really don't think there's a single person in the UK who gives a damn. In fact, most people here don't even know what Independence Day is all about; they all think it's that Will Smith movie with aliens.

[Algorithm69]

It's a time for celebration for Englishmen as well. The American Revolution was by extension an English Revolution, in which the philosophies and teachings of Englishmen such as John Jocke, Adam Smith, Thomas Paine, and many others were used to cast off the tyranny of Monarchy and to create a better, republican system based on the inalienable rights of the people. The American forefathers did after all refer to themselves as "Englishmen in America", and only wanted the same rights as those given in the mother country.

It is a day that Englishmen should be proud of, and I look forward to the day when we finish our revolution and get rid of the Monarchy in the mother country.

[Christianlady]

(Original post by Naami)
Yes, we do study History in school, but we don't really learn about the American Revolution. We mostly study the World Wars, Germany and USSR (Bolshevik Revolution etc.)

However, I did learn about the Civil Rights Movement and the Arms Race during the Cold War in GCSE History.

I wonder why y'all don't learn about the American Revolution? Just curious

Of course it is a part of American history here in the States, because even though it happened a long time ago, Americans today are still extremely proud of fighting for their freedom. It basically helped shape the mentality of Americans in general.

Do you not learn about Gandhi and India in history at school? I LOVE Gandhi and what he did. It is amazing how he basically shamed the British out of controlling India. I wonder if the English colonists could have done that, without fighting?

Yeah the Civil Rights Movement in the USA is awesome!!! I LOVE Martin Luther King Jr.!!!

[Howard]

(Original post by Christianlady)
Good point. That is an issue I had growing up with American textbooks that glorified the English colonists. Later, I began to learn history from different Native American sides, as well as from the African-American side, and I became so ashamed. It is true that one's own history concentrates on that side's own victories/achievements. It is very depressing when one's bad actions are studied... when studying about what English and Spanish people did to the Native Americans and the African people they brought as slaves, I just wanted to crawl under the desk. This was at a university designed for African Americans, because horrifically, long time ago, African Americans were not allowed at the same school as "white" Americans. However, nowadays, there are both African Americans and "white" or Americans with European ancestors, at this wonderful university I attended!

Sorry but I won't be joining you on the white guilt trip.

[gladders]

Generally, the UK doesn't think much about it - through a combination of not wanting to dwell on a military defeat (much like America and Vietnam!), but also because the motivations behind America's cause in the war had justification, so in the long run we agree with the principles at stake.

There's no appetite for reclaiming the Empire - not simply through being unable to do so, but just that the desire to grab portions of the world doesn't exist any more.

[x_Natalie_x]

(Original post by Christianlady)
Good point. That is an issue I had growing up with American textbooks that glorified the English colonists. Later, I began to learn history from different Native American sides, as well as from the African-American side, and I became so ashamed. It is true that one's own history concentrates on that side's own victories/achievements. It is very depressing when one's bad actions are studied... when studying about what English and Spanish people did to the Native Americans and the African people they brought as slaves, I just wanted to crawl under the desk. !

They weren't 'English colonists' or 'English and Spanish people', or at all Europeans, they were Americans. You should acknowledge this. I always find it interesting how Americans try to absolve their history of atrocities by referring to their ancestors as 'European' when bad things happened, but when it's good times they're 'American', not European.