Milestones

Milestones (Full Version)

All Forums >> [Casual Banter] >> Off the Grid

Message

IrishMist -> Milestones (7/16/2009 3:16:52 PM)
The teenager and I were talking tonight about a book she just finished reading about the first landing on the moon; and she was commenting on how the book sees this as one of the most important milestones in US history. Before we knew it, we were tossing ideas back and forth about what we saw as the single most important milestone in US history. She says that it would have to be the War of Independence; for obvious reasons. I say that it would have to be the writing of the Constitution because it gave us the groundwork for a working government. So, now I am curious. What do YOU think is the single most important milestone in US history and why?

OrionTheWolf -> RE: Milestones (7/16/2009 3:29:36 PM)
The US Civil War, which took power from the states and put it in the hands of the Federal Government. I believe it was a bad thing to diminish state's rights, but it is definately a milestone.

Termyn8or -> RE: Milestones (7/16/2009 4:58:31 PM)
Wow. I might have to hijack your mind here, but not the thread. Context is everything here. The discovery of fire, the invention of the wheel. The first windmill or waterwheel. I would also consider the invention of the modern atuomobile, no matter how much you may hate the concept these days, because before that gasoline was a waste product. Radio, television, laser,,,,,, the list goes on. I would also consider the moon shot as a milestone. In reality it is the culmination of a veritable plethora of other discoveries and inventions. Just as there would be no radios without the invention of the electron tube, and later the transistor. Just designing the front end of a car, now when you don't have to worry about the "suicide knob" hitting you upside the face when you hit a bump is somewhat of an accomplishment. If you care to narrow the scope, fine. But then there is also the issue of impact. Ironically the moon shot, while generating alot of national pride and chest thumping or whatever, did not really have all that divine of an impact on the human condition. T

OrionTheWolf -> RE: Milestones (7/16/2009 5:06:56 PM)
She said in US History. The assembly line manufacturing method would be another good milestone.

sophia37 -> RE: Milestones (7/16/2009 5:27:20 PM)
landing at Plymouth.

Arpig -> RE: Milestones (7/16/2009 9:53:33 PM)
quote: landing at Plymouth. Hey! Leave my family out of it!!

ThatDamnedPanda -> RE: Milestones (7/16/2009 10:08:30 PM)
Given the parameters, I think you'd have to go with the Declaration of Independence. If not for that milestone in the history of the United States, there would be no history of the United States. The War of Independence, the Constitution, the Civil War, the Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark expedition, the Great Depression, my birthday, World War II... if you're making a list, they all belong on it, but if you can only pick one I don't see how it could be anything but the Declaration of Independence.

pahunkboy -> RE: Milestones (7/17/2009 3:32:20 AM)
TARP. We are rendered to 3rd world status. You cant see it right now- but the events have been set into motion where monetization trumps life. This event is the event that will define the country for many years- possibly decades. The derivatives could be voided out with the stroke of a pen. We have 1 year that will be good-then 3 years from now- we will be in 1940s type of depression. I must say tho. I was at a fast food place the other day. I seen a few people throw out food. Alot can be said about that. The day may come where that 1/2 taco/burrito would be the food for the entire day. Anyhow- the financial economy is paramount- over the physical economy.... in so far as our handling of all things the peoples business. "it wont happen here" will have a whole new meaning a decade from now. Really- it is an exciting time to be alive. We seen a boom- were tech pioneers, and we now are about to enter a new dark age. So to answer your question. "TARP".

stella41b -> RE: Milestones (7/17/2009 4:04:45 AM)
The abolition of slavery.

CatdeMedici -> RE: Milestones (7/17/2009 4:52:52 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: stella41b The abolition of slavery. You know stella, I thought long and hard about this one as well--in its conceptual forms, I'd say yes, however it wasn't until civil rights that "freedom" was attained--and even that is not in total--even today--and I'm not sure its THE single most important event. I really wrestle with some of these, I mean landing at Plymouth? Nope, as this country WAS settled by Indians and there were Canadians settled in Canada as well as Eskimos and the Inuit, and of course the Mexicans to the South, so I am sure this land would have been settled eventually allowing those groups to expand and grow as they should--( gotta love the Plymouth crowd who think THEY settled America). Is it something politcal? economic? Civil rights? Is it invention? Is it when we bought Alaska to prevent Russian invasion? The Cuban Missile crisis? Its really hard to say as we are as a country so very young and each event is a maturation of the preceeding sets of activities--- I don't see the moon landing as that because we haven't done anything with that but toodle out to mars and it has not impacted the growth, development or economics of the country. Maybe its the fact that for all our foibles, our stick our noses where it doesn't belong, our in your face attitude, that we are even still around-most countries like this in history got vanquished or overtaken and swallowed up.

IrishMist -> RE: Milestones (7/17/2009 4:55:58 AM)
Some interesting answers. My daughter and I, for hours, see-sawed back and forth with each other discussing different historical events and playing the 'what if' game with them ( you know, what if this had never happened ). quote: The US Civil War, which took power from the states and put it in the hands of the Federal Government. I believe it was a bad thing to diminish state's rights, but it is definately a milestone. I can agree with the Civil War being a pivotal turning point in US history; but not for the exact reason that you stated. Slavery was such a huge part of the US at that time, that I truly believe that without the conflict, it would still be a huge part of the US. quote: landing at Plymouth. The landing at Plymouth. This was actually my daughter's first thought; but then she changed her mind. Her reasoning was that the landing at Plymouth, while important for very, very, important reasons, can not count because we were under the rule of the British; anything that happened at that time was British history, not US history. ( her argument lol, not mine ) quote: Given the parameters, I think you'd have to go with the Declaration of Independence. If not for that milestone in the history of the United States, there would be no history of the United States. The War of Independence, the Constitution, the Civil War, the Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark expedition, the Great Depression, my birthday, World War II... if you're making a list, they all belong on it, but if you can only pick one I don't see how it could be anything but the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence. I have to ask; are you referring to the actual writing or the conflict? I could understand the conflict because it led up to the writing itself. But, if you are saying the writing, then you have to take into account that the actual writing would not have occured without the conflict. Which one had a bigger impact? Also, if you are going to go with the writing; then I would have to say that The Lee Resolution is of more importance than the actual Declaration ( but, that would be splitting hairs, if the truth be known ). quote: The abolition of slavery You say the abolition of slavery, but you don't say why. What made the abolition of slavery such a huge turning point? Term, I am not ignoring yours lol. I was given orders by Brit not to answer yours yet, she has a huge answer for you that she wants to post before I do [8D]

DarkSteven -> RE: Milestones (7/17/2009 5:23:05 AM)
The Vietnam War. It marked the transition between the post-WWII era (prosperity, simplicity) and the angst afterward. The war was the first time that a substantial number of citizens became disillusioned with their government and the Greatest Generation (my country, right or wrong) gave way to a more adult viewpoint. I think of the war as America's coming of age.

CatdeMedici -> RE: Milestones (7/17/2009 5:29:16 AM)
I disagree, I believe that disillusionment started in the Civil War when we almost imploded, I'd say though we recovered, there wasn't alot of government love in WWI and WWII, so no I'd say we were more vehemently open but I think we came of age long before that.

IrishMist -> RE: Milestones (7/17/2009 5:33:57 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: CatdeMedici I disagree, I believe that disillusionment started in the Civil War when we almost imploded, I'd say though we recovered, there wasn't alot of government love in WWI and WWII, so no I'd say we were more vehemently open but I think we came of age long before that. Sorry Steven [:D] but I would have to agree with CatdeMedici on this one.

DarkSteven -> RE: Milestones (7/17/2009 5:34:38 AM)
Hmmmph.

IrishMist -> RE: Milestones (7/17/2009 5:38:45 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: DarkSteven Hmmmph. LMAO Don't feel bad, when we were talking about this last night, I actually said the Vietnam war before I realized that other wars superceded it in terms of pivotal turning points. [8D]

Drakontos -> RE: Milestones (7/17/2009 6:39:26 AM)
zaphira does not believe that any one, single event can be used as the 'most pivotal' point. So many events have happened in our brief history that have changed the course of the path that the US was originally set upon. Remember, for every action that occurs, there is a reaction. If one action is removed or changed; then every reaction that follows is removed or changed. With that all said though, if zaphira had to pick a certain event, she would start off with a Supreme Court decision in 1803; Marbury v. Madison. This decision established the right of the courts to determine the constitutionality of the actions of the other two branches of government. It established the principal of Judicial Review, helping to prevent any one branch of the Federal Goverment from becoming too powerful.

OrionTheWolf -> RE: Milestones (7/17/2009 7:06:16 AM)
~FR~ The Civil War was brewing for a while before the Abolishment of Slavery was put into a national light. As was seen after the Civil War, it did not change much, and in some areas conditions worsened for blacks. This is why I do consider it a milestone for different reasons. Now the Civil Rights Act would be the milestone I would mark as a better turn towards equitable treatment. The consolidation of the states under the Federal government removed much power from the states. This is where the steam roller of the huge federal government we see today, started. The Constitution was written in such a way as states were supposed to have certain rights, and individuals were supposed to have certain rights. If you look at the Bill of Rights you can see the divide. If it was written the way it is today, and presented back then, it would never have been ratified. Food for thought.

pahunkboy -> RE: Milestones (7/17/2009 7:56:57 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: OrionTheWolf ~FR~ The Civil War was brewing for a while before the Abolishment of Slavery was put into a national light. As was seen after the Civil War, it did not change much, and in some areas conditions worsened for blacks. This is why I do consider it a milestone for different reasons. Now the Civil Rights Act would be the milestone I would mark as a better turn towards equitable treatment. The consolidation of the states under the Federal government removed much power from the states. This is where the steam roller of the huge federal government we see today, started. The Constitution was written in such a way as states were supposed to have certain rights, and individuals were supposed to have certain rights. If you look at the Bill of Rights you can see the divide. If it was written the way it is today, and presented back then, it would never have been ratified. Food for thought. True. It wasn't so much that slavery was outlawed- but a re-alignment of the legal status of a person vs the non-person. (the govt or a corporation) One reason for the civil war was to get away from the British Empire. And the off shore bankers. So who 'won"? We may never know. The civil war was over a variety of matters. Yes- slavery should have never existed. 3/5ths of a person? That is ridiculous. All men are created equal.

sirsholly -> RE: Milestones (7/17/2009 8:25:43 AM)
finding out "who shot JR?" quote: ORIGINAL: OrionTheWolf The US Civil War, which took power from the states and put it in the hands of the Federal Government. I believe it was a bad thing to diminish state's rights, but it is definately a milestone. this is my second choice.

Page: [1] 2 next > >>

Collarchat.com © 2025

Terms of Service

0.03125