33 Questions About American History You're Not Supposed To Ask

American Thinker ^ | 08/03/2007 | Thomas Woods

[NTHockey]

“XIVth Amend. put the result of the Civil War into legality: Federalism won.”

ONLY THE BATTLE, NOT THE WAR.

[RightWhale]

It is now. It wasn’t before the Civil War.

[Old Professer]

Why is there a comma after erudite?

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Mark Twain met with Teddy twice and "declared him ‘clearly insane,'"

The Steven Glass of his day called TR insane?

Is that what passes serious historical evidence these days?

[MNJohnnie]

“XIVth Amend. put the result of the Civil War into legality: Federalism won.”

ONLY THE BATTLE, NOT THE WAR.

Just got to love Freepers. I am laughed so hard right after reading this I think I may of pulled a muscle.

[MNJohnnie]

Only problem here is that like most older Americans, he confuses his personal opinions on what the US Constitution does, and does not, stand for.

Infuriately for Mr Wood, his personal opinions do not have the force of law. So what he feels the US Constitution does, or should, mean on this issue or that are just so much hot air.

If you agree with him, he is a genius, if you disagree he is an idiot.

My only response to him is “great Sir, so what?”.

That the world doesn’t work the way Mr Wood feels it should is a matter of concern only to Mr Wood.

[patriciaruth]

good old Teddy Roosevelt, he of the beloved Rough Riders, who Woods implies should have been the first recipient of a Ritalin prescription.

I agree. And something that few Republicans or conservatives know is that Teddy espoused a lot of socialism as his solution to certain social problems.

[George W. Bush]

Sounds like a more academically respectable version of all those "secret history" books filled with strange and unknown tidbits. I have one. It's kind of fun to look through.

So does the author have any conclusion or suggestions of how the citizenry can reclaim its republic?

[George W. Bush]

A list of endorsements for the book from the author's website:

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"A marvelous read. Every chapter taught me something new and unexpected."
-Tom Bethell, senior editor, The American Spectator

"Tom Woods, one of the libertarian movement's brightest and most prolific scholars, demolishes the historical myths that mislead too many Americans into supporting big government. I strongly recommend Woods's work."
-The Honorable Ron Paul, U.S. House of Representatives

"Woods, among the most talented of young American historians, asks (and answers) the right questions about the Constitution, the Depression, presidential war-making, and other important things. In so doing, he continues the mission that he began with his Politically Incorrect Guide to American History, which is to bring well-deserved destruction to many of the convenient and misleading commonplaces of the American history class."
-Clyde N. Wilson, Professor of History emeritus, University of South Carolina, and editor, The Papers of John C. Calhoun

"Woods takes on some of the most coveted of the politically correct sacred cows and shreds them the old-fashioned way - with incontrovertible evidence and sound reasoning. A provocative and fun romp through American history."
-Roger D. McGrath, author of Gunfighters, Highwaymen, and Vigilantes

"A comprehensive antidote to much of the leftist propaganda that is drummed into today's high school and college students by their teachers and textbooks in the guise of education. This book deserves to be assigned in economics courses as well as in American history courses."
-George Reisman, author of Capitalism: A Treatise on Economics and Professor Emeritus of Economics, Pepperdine University

"Bold maverick Thomas Woods's latest bestseller is provocative and controversial about issues of enduring importance."
-Jim Powell, author of FDR's Folly and Bully Boy

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I would guess that few of us have heard of the endorsers other than the first two.

[Inyo-Mono]

Thanks for the great quote! Mark Twain was exceptionaly perceptive.

[kalee]

ping

[SierraWasp]

Have either of you ever seen that PBS review of Teddy Roosevelt's life and Presidency? I found it clearly amazing and amusing!!! I loved it when the Bull Moose Party held it's convention and it's theme song was "Onward Christian Soldiers!"

Teddy always assumed, unlike any prior POTUS that if the Constitution was silent on a subject... That meant he was free to do whatever he wanted! And of course, HE DID!!!

[I got the rope]

I have one:

“How many people really died on the Trail of Tears?”

[SirLinksalot]

A list of endorsements for the book from the author's website

What ? No endorsements from Noam Chomsky, Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton or Al Sharpton ?

[Inyo-Mono]

No I have not, but I’ll make a point of trying to rent it on DVD. I have read many of TR’s books, mostly on the outdoors and hunting (I have 1st edition copy of “Outdoor Pastimes of an American Hunter”) and have always admired him, though having read much of Twain’s works, I won’t disregard his thought’s on TR either.

[George W. Bush]

What ? No endorsements from Noam Chomsky, Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton or Al Sharpton ?

I think the point is supposed to be that this historian is libertarian, originalist, and constitutionalist in outlook. Not another mouthpiece for the Left.

It's not my fault if you didn't check the endorsements list.

I went over to check at one of the main RP blogs where they have the RP reading list. This book isn't listed there FWIW. But then, Ron Paul has a new book of his own as well.

[Ultra Sonic 007]

I sincerely doubt that what little was included in this review constitutes a whole chapter.

[pepsionice]

We can be honest about this fact...in today’s atmosphere...Teddy running for president would be impossible. The media pressure against him and his antics would make it hard to win a race.

[skinkinthegrass]

.

[SierraWasp]

Yep! After watching the Republican “debate” run by a raving lunatic Democrat today, I cannot disagree!!!