The beginning... People Were Fleeing From Religious Persecution - They had Heard of A New Land - of Freedom!

 Good Morning! It's rainy here in my area of Pennsylvania. Cats have been fed, the first task I do each morning... So, let me tell you what I'm thinking. Upfront, I've never been in a location where I could join a book club...so I have no idea what actually happens or how it takes place...except of course what I've read in books! And that normally includes... eating... LOL  So grab a cup of coffee or tea, if you want, and, maybe some crackers and cheese, before you start reading...

Nothing is more wonderful than the art of being free, 

but nothing is harder to learn how to use than freedom. 

—Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America

Books are my lifeline and I'm reading some awesome books! Right now, though, as I posted in one of my Facebook groups, when I first saw the picture that had been posted in

The world goggled at it. They also wondered: What would become of this great and strange bark? Would it sail long or soon sink? No one could know. And if it was to succeed and last, precisely how would it do that? How could it, being so very fragile? Why should it float for long? And yet it did. Whatever it was that they created that summer in that building has so grown and flourished in the more than two centuries following that it is simply without equal.

one of my Facebook groups,  hosted by Author Cam Rascoe. I realized just how much of a burden it had become for me--what I see as the present situation in America... I must immediately say that the book, If You Can Keep It: The Forgotten Promise of American Liberty, not only answered all of my questions, but also actually lightened my burden. You see, I really didn't need to carry that burden alone...In fact, many of you might also, probably, carry the same burden, alone, or with others, trying to deal with today's world. And, let's face it, nobody could have projected the pain, the suffering, the turmoil of the Corona Pandemic. That, alone, was enough to carry! But, there was so much more, wasn't there?

It felt like we were a divided country politically--and indeed we were as events will have shown. Yet, Eric Metaxas had written a book a number of years ago which was the answer. I didn't know, he admits he didn't know...and probably many of you guessed at it, like I did, but didn't really "know." what was behind our present situation.

Many of my Facebook friends have talked about historical events as leading to where we are. But, for me, Metaxas took it further. He did the research, which is provided in the back of his book, and set about discovering what the issue was... Simple? No, because you had to consider the historical context in which the evolution had occurred...

Most of us know from history that immigrants by the millions were flocking to the new land to escape religious persecution. Historically, most countries were of one ethnic group or of race. Most countries were tied to a specific religion and many books tell of what that resulted in. One in particular that has been written about often was that the church was normally behind what we now think of as witch hunts (even if that phrase was used incorrectly by a recent top official)... It was another God Incident for me that, as I normally am reading a fiction and non-fiction book at the same time, I selected another book I'd had in my library, to read--The Alchemist's Gift by Mark Giglio

As a side look at a somewhat related book, this time travel novel takes us back to the time when women were being burned--as known at this time, all were not guilty, except for knowing a lot about herbs, or, sometimes, just being in the wrong place at the wrong time... and, then, I am always frustrated to know that it was never the white man who participated in sex with other than their wives, who were accused; but rather, that the witch's wiles or potions were responsible. By the way, this book had a wonderful twist to it that made it relevant...fictionally...

Think about Thanksgiving and how the relationship between Indigenous Americans and the immigrants are portrayed... Indeed, consider that during the early years, many immigrants of different religions or races lived together, working on their new lands, beginning a new life. Towns and then cities were created and self-governed--learning as they went along what was needed to meet the basic needs of all those now living in America...

BTW, if you are already thinking of, "yes-buts," that's ok! Questions will undoubtedly start formulating... Make a note of it... Or feel free to add them to the comments section on each article so that we can clarify where necessary. My guess is that we will have covered most issues before we finish the book...

And so it was that as local governments handled much of what needed to be done to manage their areas, it soon became necessary to look toward something more. Perhaps a group, a government that would have some basic oversight duties and responsibilities?

A Constitution? A method by which fundamental principles that would become legal and used to govern what was a fast-growing expansion of the local towns, cities, and soon to be states?

Founding Fathers began to be selected for this important activity and the gathering of issues to be included started to be spotlighted for consideration...

It was 1787 in Philadelphia, in what we now call Independence Hall that, in 100 days, the most brilliant of those living then, began to create the legal document for what would soon to be The United States of America... Men like Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, George Washington, James Madison et.al., most of the names are easily remembered even centuries later... It was a massive endeavor...and a first ever attempt to create a republic, with a sacred promise to those living and for the dreamed of future...

But it was not an easy task. Many had different opinions, concerns--just as are today. Finally discussions had stalled. Was it even possible to have believed this was possible? Because, even then, everybody in the world...was...watching...

Next...Writing the document...Completion Stalled...

~~~

On a Personal note, I'll be visiting my doctor tomorrow who will be doing my hip replacement surgery. The surgery is scheduled in May... This has been a difficult time. I cannot walk without a walker for support. I am in pain in every movement...and worse when I sit for a long time. But I had decided that since I was going to be in pain, I might as well be doing what I enjoy most... So, I've been blogging for a few weeks... Yes with lots of pain getting up and down from computer and getting moving again... I'll let you know more as my surgery gets closer... God Bless!