americanmedley

Did you know that the rallying cry of the so-called "Civil Rights Movement" of the 1950's and 60's was an actual communist slogan? "We shall overcome" was introduced by Communist Party, USA. It was the same slogan used by revolutionaries in Cuba, Haiti, and Venezuela. Excerpt from "Anarchy USA" (1966), a Public Domain Film by G. Edward Griffin on Behalf of the John Birch Society #civilrights #weshallovercome #johnbirchsociety #democracynow

Alexis de Tocqueville was a French aristocrat who toured the United States in the 1840's to study why republican government had succeeded in America, but not in France. One of his greatest discoveries was that the American Revolution, unlike the French Revolution, was not a true "revolution." The American patriots who secured national independence did not fundamentally reorganize society from the top-down; rather, they simply fought to uphold the traditions of self-government that had developed naturally amongst the American people over time - traditions which King George III began to systematically usurp after centuries of "benign neglect" by the mother country toward the internal affairs of the colonies. Change is often necessary, but it cannot be forced by a top-down authority; otherwise, disastrous and oppressive results will follow. The past - all the traditions, customs, culture, and heritage that have evolved naturally amongst a nation - must always illuminate the future. #alexisdetocqueville #americanrevolution #frenchrevolution

Figuring out where a historic photograph was taken is not actually the hardest part of producing a "then & now" picture. The trouble is getting the height, pitch, and roll of the camera correct so that the blending of the two photos together occurs smoothly and requires no stretching of the "ghost" image to line up with the modern photo. #thenandnow #vintagephoto

The difference between a democracy and a republic can be a murky one, but it is not semantic. Understanding the distinction makes a world of difference in the way we sustain liberty. “Democracy” is derived from the Greek root “demos,” which means “people.” In other words, a “democracy” is any form of government in which the people control the government, rather than a monarch. However, democracies have historically led to nothing more than the people getting to choose who their ruler will be. Republics are more complex, and in fact, are designed to specifically address the shortcomings of pure democracy. Rather than simply let the people vote on who will make decisions, republics divide up the decision-making process itself between different offices and different branches of government so that power is decentralized. Likewise, they establish constitutional safeguards against the majority violating the rights of the minority. The American Federal Republic was the first nation deliberately established on these principles, and it has thus far been the most stable and long-lasting constitutional government in world history. Song: Pryor, Arthur, Arthur Pryor'S Band, and Thos. S Allen. Gen. mixup, U.S.A. march. 1912. Audio. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-259840/>. #differencebetween #democracy #republic #americanheritage

Then and Now: Waxahachie, Texas In this 1882 photograph, farmers haul wagons of cotton from College Street onto Main Street in downtown Waxahachie, Texas. It is likely that this photograph was taken on “Trades Day,” when all farmers would bring their goods to sell in town or to be loaded onto freight cars and delivered to customers elsewhere. Since few people are farmers today, the modern equivalent of “Trades Day” is referred to as the “farmer’s market.” In the 21st Century, much of the American marketplace is saturated with cheaply-made goods produced in foreign countries. While international trade occurring on the theory of comparative advantage leads to quantity, some question whether quality has suffered, while the United States economy has also become largely dependent on foreign powers. A century ago, most Americans were not only buying American-made goods, but goods produced according to the theory of comparative advantage between the different regions of their own nation – a concept largely lost on the modern consumer. Is it possible to reinvent this type of trade today? The idea of bringing back manufacturing jobs is a political “rabbit hole” beyond the context of this post, but modern farmer’s markets still supply a ready source of consumable goods today. Not only will purchasing locally-produced goods lessen America’s dependence on foreign governments, but shopping at a farmer’s market instead of large chain stores can be a lot of fun! Song: Dudley, S. H, et al. Monarch Minstrel, first part, no. 1. 1902. Audio. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-5281/. #farmersmarket #tradesday #waxahachie #kingcotton

Then and Now: Waxahachie, Texas In this 1916 photograph, a crowd makes way for an Interurban Railcar to pass through College Street next to the Ellis County Courthouse in downtown Waxahachie, Texas. Prior to modern public transportation systems like DART, various electric railways connected North Texas to Houston and Galveston, with Dallas as the main station and smaller towns like Waxahachie and Waco serving as stopping points along the route. The Texas Electric Railway served as the main route in a north-to-south direction along a route that closely resembles I-35 today. The remnants of these vintage public railways can still be seen in various places. Bridge foundations and trellises remain in their original locations, and rail tracks can often be seen protruding from beneath the roadways in areas where asphalt has weathered away. In Summer 2022, construction along College Street in Waxahachie unearthed the original Interurban Railway buried beneath the road. Sections of this rail were preserved and put on display at Railyard Park in Waxahachie (455 S College St, Waxahachie, TX 75165). Song: King, Edward T, et al. Pack up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile!. 1916. Audio. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-21044/>. #thenandnnow #waxahachie #elliscounty #vintagerailroad #historicrailroad #texashistory #americanheritage

President John Adams wrote that, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people; it is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." But how can the moral stature of a nation be measured? How can we know whether we are worthy inheritors of the liberties passed down to us? All around the world, the humble graves that mark the final resting places of our best citizens - the brave American servicemen who gave their lives that we would be free - give testimony of the measure of our nation. This Memorial Day, please remember that we enjoy peace with our family and friends only because of the brave patriots who did not come home to theirs. We also give special thanks to Woodmen Life Chapter 46, Pastor Steve Bailey, and State Guard Cpt. John Latham for hosting the 2023 Ellis County Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremony. #MemorialDay #ThankAVeteran #fallensoldiers

Then and Now: Waxahachie, Texas In this 1901 photograph, a crowd gathers in front of the Ellis County Courthouse to welcome the Ringling Brothers Circus to town. Note how many people are gathered together on the courthouse balcony. While courthouses today are considered "sensitive" locations where visitors must go through airport-style security to get inside, courthouses were historically a central gathering point and hub of activity for the whole community - not just on the outside, but on the inside. This photograph is the product of a more civil era in which Americans trusted each other and shared the same basic values, customs, and civilities that might be considered absent in society today. Fortunately, the Ellis County Courthouse (101 W. Main St., Waxahachie, TX) remains open for visitors to explore today without intrusive security screenings. Song: Foster, Stephen Collins, et al. "Songs of the Past, No. 16." 1916. Audio. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-18189/>. #thenandnow #waxahachie #elliscounty #americanheritage #texashistory

Just because you see a historic marker doesn't mean you are at a historic site. Being involved on a historic commission myself, I know that markers are typically placed where people are most likely to see them - not necessarily where something happened. On the flip side, wherever you are standing at any moment could be the site of a significant event, and you might not even realize it. You can only learn about history with certainty by doing your own research and making educated guesses about where actual sites are. #historicmarker #texashistoricalcommission #elliscountytx #historicsite #civilwarhistory

What did a Confederate cavalry charge sound like? Many first-hand accounts of Texas cavalry in battle allude to what was colloquially referred to as the "war whoop" of the Texas Rangers. It is not known whether this "war whoop" was distinct from the typical Confederate "Rebel Yell," but one can assume they sounded similar due to cultural ties and traditions between Texas and the rest of the South. What you are hearing now is an actual recording of a Confederate veteran giving his rendition of the "Rebel Yell" c. 1913. The sound has been varied and multiplied to simulate what a company-sized unit may have sounded like. I have also taken the liberty to include sound effects that illustrate the sheer power and fear that one might have felt being stampeded by charging horses, each of them with a shotgun-and-revolver-wielding trooper on its back, hell-bent on killing as many "darned yankees" as possible. The background is a perspective shot of the charge down Whitney's Lane during the skirmksh there on May 19th, 1862, which will be featured in my upcoming documentary, "No Choice but to Fight."

Instead of paying to rent an apartment, young families on the 19th Century Texas frontier farmed land for a property owner in exchange for the privilege of living there. They did this until the man of the family could obtain a headright to his own property, which he would often then rent out to his own farmhands. [Excerpt from “No Choice but to Fight: Emory W. Rogers”]