America's Minute

Why should we learn our nation’s history?? Why should we care about what happened 200, 300, or even 400 years ago?

In Ronald Reagan’s farewell address given on January 11, 1989, Reagan warned against the dangers of ignoring our history. He strongly encouraged Americans to look at our past and study the lives of our ancestors.

Reagan said, “If we forget what we did, we won’t know who we are. I’m warning of an eradication of the American memory that could result, ultimately, in an erosion of the American spirit. Let’s start with some basics: more attention to American history and a greater emphasis on civic ritual.” 

Our history is not perfect. No nation’s history has ever been or ever will be perfect, but it is crucial that we learn and remember our past. In doing so, we can gain an entirely new perspective by looking at historical events. We can learn from our past accomplishments as well as our mistakes.  

Reagan went on to say, “We’ve got to do a better job of getting across that America is freedom– freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of enterprise. And freedom is special and rare. It’s fragile; it needs protection. So, we’ve got to teach history based not on what’s in fashion, but what’s important.”

Unfortunately, history AND the way history is taught have been broken down. Much of the time, it is changed, distorted, and twisted. Or, the subject is completely avoided because it is considered “politically incorrect”. If it is taught, it’s taught in black and white, in dates, numbers, and statistics. Sadly, the STORY has been taken out of HISTORY.  

The story of the United States is truly beautiful, unique, and one-of-a-kind. It is my hope that America’s Minute can teach us a little more about America’s history AND America’s Story, one minute at a time.