MAY 14, 2020: On May 14, 1607—413 years ago today—Jamestown, Virginia ([link removed]) was established and became the first permanent British settlement in North America.[1] ([link removed])
The difficult conditions were highlighted by the fact that only 60 out of 214 initial inhabitants survived the first eight months in Jamestown. As more settlers arrived, the colony slowly grew. But another harsh winter in 1609 nearly brought it to an end.[1] ([link removed]) Still, despite the harsh conditions, the settlement survived to play a key role in American history.
Just over 12 years after Jamestown was established, two momentous events occurred that have played key roles in defining American history. On July 30, 1619, the first representative assembly was formed, beginning America’s long tradition of self-governance.[2] ([link removed]) Just a few weeks later—and just a few blocks away—the first slaves were sold in Jamestown.[1] ([link removed]) That began America’s long tradition of institutionalized racism.
As noted in my last book, “These two narratives—one positive and one negative—have competed and interacted to define America ever since. These dueling histories directly impact the way we perceive events today.”[3] ([link removed])
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Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day ([link removed]) explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology. Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
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_Scott Rasmussen is an editor-at-large for Ballotpedia, the Encyclopedia of American Politics. He is a senior fellow for the study of self-governance at the King’s College in New York. His most recent book, ** Politics Has Failed: America Will Not ([link removed])
** , ([link removed])
was published by the Sutherland Institute in August 2018._
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