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Americans began to see the United States as
美國人逐漸發現，美國的命運
having a sort of manifest destiny, to civilize,
是命中注定的，美國要進步
quote unquote, North America, but that definition
要創新，北美，但是這樣一個關于
of civilized remains open to question.
"文明的"的概念是值得探究的
More than anything else the American Civil War
南北戰爭的根源就源于
arose from a dispute over whether the new
關于美國的西部的新領土是否
territories to the west would become free states
沿用奴隸制的爭論
or slave holding states. Once slavery was abolished
最終奴隸制被廢除
and the Union was restored then the Indians bore
聯邦得以恢復，印第安人由于西進運動
the brunt of Americas drive westward and once the
也受到了巨大打擊，十九世紀九十年代
western frontier closed down in the 1890's America
美國西部領土基本確定
began to look beyond its traditional boundaries.
于是它開始在傳統疆界之外尋求新的領土
In all of this and the things we did as a result,
在這一過程中，在我們的一步步的行動中
as a nation, make up some of the
我們的文化內核逐漸形成
cultural baggage we carry as Americans.
這也是作為美國人的基礎
Important as it is to understand who we were as
盡管真正理解作為美國人意味著什么
Americans before we understand who we are as
是非常重要的，但是在此之前
Americans we do tend to have a fuzzy
我們對于自己祖國的歷史常常
sense of our nation's history.
沒有一個清晰的認識
Part of the problem is the time factor.
造成這個問題的一個原因是時間過于久遠
Although I am old and bald and graying I am
盡管我已近耄耋之年，鬢發斑白
not old enough to remember the American Revolution.
但依舊未曾經歷過獨立戰爭
Even my dad wasn't alive during the
那時候，即便是我的父親
American Revolution. Actually, all of my ancestors
也還沒有出生，實際上在獨立戰爭期間
were in either Great Britain or Poland around the time
我的先輩人不是在英國就是在波蘭
of the American Revolution. Neither side of my family
我家的祖輩們直到十九世紀五十年代
made it to the US until the 1850's. Once my ancestors
才達到美國，但是我的祖輩們一到美國
arrived though they willingly became Americans,
就自愿地成為了美國人
shouldering all the cultural baggage
肩負起以上我談到的
that I have indicated just above.
所有的文化負擔
Another problem is that a historical fact can be
另一個問題是，一個歷史事實
and often is presented believably with 2 completely
所傳達出的通常是兩種截然不同的信息
different messages. For example as a kid growing up
例如，我從小在威斯康辛長大
in Wisconsin I was taught that the Civil War
我學的課本告訴我內戰是因為
was fought because the northern states wanted to
北方要解放奴隸
free the slaves and the southerners wanted to keep
而南方要繼續保持奴隸制
them in bondage. My wife growing up in Tennessee
我的妻子生長在田納西
was taught that the Civil War happened because
她學到的是，南北戰爭是由于
the people of the south were tired of a bunch of
南方的人們不想再讓
Yankee abolitionists telling them how to live.
北方佬對自己的生活指指點點
The truth as is often the case lies somewhere
通常情況下，真相就介于兩者之間
in between. Slave owners were a minority in the
實際上南方的奴隸主和
south as abolitionists were in the north.
北方的廢奴主義者都是少數
The real source of the war was the founder's
南北戰爭的真正原因是由于
unwillingness to confront the question head on
在起草憲法的時候
when they were drafting the constitution.
我們的先驅們沒有直面這個問題
Had they dealt with slavery right up front we
如果他們一開始就解決了奴隸制的問題
might have been spared the civil war.
南北戰爭或許就不會發生
Our nation's history is full of cases like this.
這樣的例子在我們的歷史中比比皆是
If we really want to understand ourselves as a nation
如果我們想從國家的角度真正了解歷史
we have to set aside if just for one day what we were
我們就必須拋掉我們原有的
told or taught to believe and reexamine critically
思維，批判性地去探究
what happened and why it happened.
事情的真相以及其背后的原因
Some people, myself included, love the study
包括我自己在內的一些人
of history for its own sake; reading it, discussing it
熱愛歷史，喜歡閱讀歷史，討論歷史
and even writing about it, and god help me,
甚至寫歷史類書籍，或者像我一樣
trying to teach it. A quarter century of
教授歷史，然而25年的教學生涯
teaching college has taught me that most students
使我明白，大多數學生并不像我一樣
aren't as crazy about history as I am.
對歷史如此癡迷
Some students may even feel about history the way
一些學生對歷史的感覺甚至和我
I have always felt about math; a cruel and refined
對數學的感覺一樣，那就是
type of torment. But a historical appreciation of
一種痛苦的折磨，但是從歷史角度
America's role in the world is not merely
來看當今美國在世界的地位是
optional today. The United States is literally
不可避免的，可以說，美國每天
making history every single day which means that
都在創造歷史，也就是說
you and I are literally living history
你和我，我們每天都在創造歷史
every single day. Moreover, if we are to practice
除此之外，如果我們要踐行
the involved citizenship described by Missouri State's
密蘇里州公共事務委員會倡導的
state wide public affairs mission our own actions,
公民參與，那么我們的每一個行為
our own decisions contribute to this history.
我們的每一個決定都在創造歷史。
