Faith RethinkFaith RethinkFaith RethinkFaith Rethink
  • About Peter
    • About FaithRethink
  • Essays
    • Follow
  • Media
  • Store
  • Contact

How has division played a part in US history?

    Home American history How has division played a part in US history?
    NextPrevious

    How has division played a part in US history?

    By Peter Watts | American history, Power & authority, Religious tolerance | Comments are Closed | 2 October, 2019 | 6

    It may appear like our nation is more divided than ever.

    At least, that’s what our politicians would like to have us believe. Simple “fact checks” are not so simple or easy regardless of the news source you read, watch or listen to.

    At the same time, talk of a “divided nation” is not a new phenomenon in US history. A careful look into our country’s history shows that division has been a close companion since the founding of our country nearly 250 years ago.

    The History of the Divided States of America

    While the delegates attempted to show a united front at the 2nd Continental Congress in 1775 in the months leading up the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the citizens of the 13 colonies were divided into three camps on whether they should actually declare independence from England.

    1. Loyalists: did not want independence (representing 20-30% of the colonists).
    2. Patriots: supported independence (also representing 20-30% of the colonists).
    3. Undecided: did not make a concerted stance (representing 30-40% of the colonists).

    And division over big political issues didn’t end there!

    Divisions after Independence

    Here is a list of things our country and government was divided over after independence from England in just the first hundred years:

    1. How to ensure equal and fair state representation at the federal level.
    2. How to structure the federal government so that one branch of government did not have more power than the others, as is what happened in England.
    3. What rights would be afforded to citizen’s of the US.
    4. Whether or not slavery would (or should) continue legally.
    5. Whether women should be afforded the right to vote.
    6. Whether child labor should have restrictions.
    7. Whether people of color should have full and equal citizenship rights.
    8. Whether the US had been granted “Manifest Destiny” for westward expansion.

    And that’s a short list!

    Divisions have defined us as a nation

    Since the beginnings of our country, even over the matter of independence, division has been deeply part of what has defined us as a nation. Some might suggest that ever since the founding of our country, there have been just as much to divide us as there has been to unite us.

    A lesson from our founders about division

    Divisions are a fact of life because disagreements are a fact of life. The question is what to do with them.

    Pretending they don’t exist or turning a blind eye doesn’t ever help.

    It seems the founders of our country had some wisdom we could glean from:

    What did they do?

    • They debated.
    • They asked questions.
    • They disagreed…openly.
    • They talked it out.
    • They (even) compromised!

    Sure, it wasn’t always pretty and sometimes they acted with incredible self-interest instead of the interest of the larger population.

    How do you deal with division?  

    While many of us may not be in political positions of influence, we live and work with very normal everyday people in our country. People who have political views and values, social perspectives, cultural practices and religious convictions that are different than you.

    When politics or religion come up, you can ignore those conversations.

    You could flare up and fight fire with fire.

    Or you can choose the higher path of engaging in political discourse respectfully and humbly.

    Wouldn’t it be interesting if Christians were known for being good listeners, shared our views from a posture of humility and engaged in mutually beneficial discussion and compromise?

    Let’s begin today.

    2nd Continental Congress, Disagreement is normal, healthy compromise, Political discourse, political discussion, US History

    Peter Watts

    More posts by Peter Watts

    Related Post

    • A prayer for my country

      By Peter Watts | Comments are Closed

      In light of the violent riot at the US Capital on January 6, 2021 and those who lost their lives, I offer this prayer.   Pray with me: God of creation, Our nation is inRead more

    • 2021

      2021: A year in review

      By Peter Watts | Comments are Closed

      2021 was supposed to be completely different from 2020. Most people had hoped that once midnight struck on New Years Eve of 2020, we could turn the page on a year of incredible trauma, andRead more

    • Picture of the Novel Coronavirus

      20 Facts about COVID-19

      By Peter Watts | Comments are Closed

      I hope the following post helps clarify important facts and details that have often been misunderstood about the Coronavirus pandemic. Please utilize this information and the sources cited in conversations with your own family, friendsRead more

    • Nurse in a hospital

      Covid-19 Pandemic: How we got here and how to move forward

      By Peter Watts | Comments are Closed

      Questions about the pandemic It’s been nearly two years (at the time of this writing) since our world was plunged into the coronavirus pandemic. Two years. The close of 2020 was supposed to mark theRead more

    • Black Lives Matter

      George Floyd & the Ongoing Movement toward Racial Equality

      By Peter Watts | Comments are Closed

      I can still remember those raw emotions that came to the surface the first time I watched the unnerving video footage of George Floyd’s murder. It wasn’t just the fact that another black man hadRead more

    NextPrevious

    Recent Posts

    • I had a dream about my dad last night
    • Bible Myth #10: The foundation of the Christian faith is the Bible.
    • Bible Myth #9: The Bible will keep Christians from deception.
    • Review of Peter Enns’ book “How the Bible Actually Works”
    • Bible Myth #8: You can’t base your faith in God and your trust in the Bible on feelings

    Archives

    • May 2025
    • May 2024
    • March 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • September 2023
    • August 2023
    • July 2023
    • December 2022
    • June 2022
    • January 2022
    • December 2021
    • November 2021
    • September 2021
    • August 2021
    • July 2021
    • May 2021
    • April 2021
    • March 2021
    • February 2021
    • January 2021
    • December 2020
    • October 2020
    • September 2020
    • August 2020
    • June 2020
    • May 2020
    • April 2020
    • March 2020
    • February 2020
    • January 2020
    • December 2019
    • November 2019
    • October 2019
    • September 2019
    • August 2019
    • July 2019
    • June 2019
    • May 2019
    • April 2019
    • February 2019
    • November 2018
    • September 2018

    Categories

    • American history
    • Asking questions
    • Authentic Christianity
    • Bible
    • Biblical genocide
    • Biblical inerrancy
    • Biblical violence
    • Christian hope
    • Escapist theologies
    • Evangelicalism
    • Evolving faith
    • Following Jesus
    • Forgiveness
    • God in the face of Jesus
    • God in the questions
    • God who risks
    • Jesus
    • Learning and growing
    • New humanity
    • Open theism
    • Power & authority
    • Religious tolerance
    • Risk theology
    • Roman crucifixion
    • Sacrifice
    • Self-made project
    • Servant project
    • Spiritual journey
    • Stories
    • Uncategorized

    Menu

    • About Peter
    • Essays
    • Media
    • Store
    • Contact

    Recent Posts

    • I had a dream about my dad last night

      I had a dream about my dad last night. It’s been nearly

      24 May, 2025

    Search

    Copyright 2024 Peter E. Watts | Faith Rethink LLC | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy
    • About FaithRethink
    • About Peter
    • Checkout
    • Contact Peter
    • Essays
    • Follow
    • Media
    • Newest Essay
    • Older Posts
    • Order Confirmation
    • Order Failed
    • Privacy Policy
    • Speaking
    • Store
    • Home
    Faith Rethink