America: The Story of Us

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I’ve been enthralled by history for as far back as I can remember. I teared up at Antietam battlefield, sat in the middle of Ellis Island and felt the weight of history. I’ve even participated as a Civil War reenactor.  Friends and family have been annoyed with me at times for saying sometimes I wish I was from a different era.

This long weekend provided the opportunity to watch the History Channel series, “America: The Story of Us”. If you haven’t seen it, I strongly encourage you to rent or download a copy.

Diverting from the typical cheesy History Channel reenactments and slideshow photography, the series seeks to capture the raw quality of our growth as a nation. The overarching message is hard work, sacrifice and the difference one man/woman can make. The graphics are gritty and occasionally horrific – watch out for the amputation dialogue during the Civil War episode.

In all the historical documentaries I’ve viewed over the years – and there have been many – this one takes the cake. It both makes me proud that I’ve descended from a collection of “old coots and tough broads”, as well as makes be ashamed of some of the steps our leaders took to get there.

The American dream has been embedded in our cultural psyche since our very first history class and the lesson of the American Revolution. It continues with manifest destiny, the secession of the South, the Industrial Revolution and World War I. We understand at a very young age that making something of yourself means breaking the rules, defying the odds and often times, lots of suffering.

Modern entrepreneurship, while still representative of the American dream, is far removed from that of our fore fathers. Going off on your own doesn’t demand the same sacrifices it did 100 years ago. We have the blood and sweat of ancestors to thank for that.

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