1619: Jamestown and the Forging of American Democracy

[@redriver6541]

My 12th Great Grandfather (direct male line) landed in Jamestown in April of 1619. It's amazing to hear what his environment and life were like then. Then to know the rest of the lineage and where they were through the centuries, is fantastic. Less than two hundred years later, his 5th great grandson would be at Yorktown helping to found our nation. Makes me so proud.

[@jimjordan5630]

My 10th Great Grandfather, Arthur Jordan I from Surrey England landed in Jamestown in 1635 with his 2 son's, Col. George Jordan (see Four Mile Tree Plantation) and my 9th Great Grandfather Arthur Jordan II. Col. George Jordan twice served as the Attorney Gen. of the English Colony Virginia.

[@sinclairlanier4081]

Well then, hello cousin!

[@joebombero1]

Lecture starts at 04:15

[@jessemerchant988]

My family were part of the first slaves

[@scasey1960]

Is there an online lecture on the 1619 themed history? I don’t mean a 5-10 minute discussion but a 10-15 hour lecture series on the topic. Where can I find this?

[@lindakay9552]

The Other States Of History. KZbin podcast. Covers EVERYTHING pre and colonial from mid 1500s through the Revolution. Best series on early America.

[@mns8732]

If historians entitle their lectures this way then, who will be left to write the truth?

[@TheKahliff]

Okay . . . Let me get this straight: Form 1607 to 1624, Virginia was a private, corporate venture. After 1624, it became a royal colony as the corporation fell apart. AND YET, the slaves being there in 1619 is STILL the United States' fault, when we would not come into existence as a nation for another 150 years? Give me an effing break!

[@SandfordSmythe]

The point was, that it was Virginians shaping history. . Slavery at that time had little meaning as a legal entity. It was the local plantation owners in the local House of Burgesses over the 1600's that defined slavery as it became in the US. You can't blame the British for this.

[@TheKahliff]

@@SandfordSmythe No, the point is that we were not even a COUNTRY yet. We were not even an English COLONY. That's the point, you freaking lib moron!

[@SandfordSmythe]

@@TheKahliff Virginia heritage is American heritage. It belongs to no one else.

[@TheKahliff]

@@SandfordSmythe Um . . . Sorry. But, no. The United States was not brought in existence until 1776. You can try to twist the matter all you like, but facts are facts. Nice try, Buffoon.

[@TheKahliff]

​@@SandfordSmythe I mean, seriously, how can you blame this country for something that happened 150+ years before it came into existence? That is like tracking down Hitler's family's descendants still living in Austria and charging them with WWII. And, no, no one is blaming the Brits, I am saying that the territory was owned by the Virginia Colony of London. So, it was not even a British colony yet. So, how in the hell does that make America responsible for the situation? And, please, give me a cognizant response, and do not recite neo-Socialist BS at me.

[@cyntar556]

I just finished watching the #NYT'S1619CONFERENCE and am very pleased to have found this video. Thanks for this piece of history.

[@johnnyjohnson3394]

Bullshit! The European invented a system of radicalized slavery which did not exist before. Chattel slavery was about denying the African were not human being and treating them literally as property. Chattel slavery was removing their names their culture spirituality and their language. They bred African for money. All those other countries were not founded on the idea of individual liberty for all. Not for African Americans, Native American and women.

[@montello33]

@@johnnyjohnson3394 When you find out the Atlantic Slave went primarily to Brazil, 85% of it. 10% percent to Central America and 5% to North America. We are the first country to stop slavery. It was a terrible scar on America but to only focus on that 400 years ago, then you haven't gone back far enough. There is slavery and then there was flat out Conquest across the world where they wouldn't slave you, they would kill the mother, the father and all of the children. Going back to BC, the Romans, Mongols and on and on. History can only be judged by the time it was happening. What will the future look back at us and say. Dude was preaching 400 year ago history and can't get past it. They would say boy, that media that got away with it, got him right where they wanted him. I'm out.

[@montello33]

@Amen Knowtech It happened and I am not sugar coating it. It is hard to fathom that human beings were owned. I am sorry to lighten it, it shouldn't be. I wasn't interested in history when I was in high school for example. All I wanted to do was play baseball and I played through college and had I not been an idiot and finished my senior year, I would have been drafted. I graduated high school in 1986 and went to a city public school with mixed race. In grade school, I went to a catholic school and wasn't around a diversity of people. High School sports made it a non-issue when it came to race or color of skin. We were one team and had one goal together. Comaraderie is awesome. I am part Sicilian-African & Scotch Irish. What a mix. Married to a Korean born woman, adopted as a baby sent to America. As I exist in America today, without the media, loving the racist terms you wouldn't see this country as still racist . Slavery should have ended sooner and reparations should maybe have been paid perhaps 100 or more yrs ago. I don't so now. The native Americans get free healthcare now and perhaps for a long time more. I always wonder when you go back to this period, what history were they reading? A history that was far more worse than after this period. I am still learning and will continue to but this 1619 project is what is really bullshit.

[@montello33]

@@johnnyjohnson3394 Do you remember the was a Civil War??

[@knightwatchman]

@Amen Knowtech If you were truly strong on history like you claim ... you would have known more about 1526 and agreed to what I said about it strictly from a historical point. Plus you CAN'T deny slavery was not a U.S. institution in 1619 because there was no U.S. I am not arguing whether or denying that the British colonies and then US states became rich from the use of slaves. The whole country (North and South) became rich. That is most evident. What you are doing through your diatribe is turning this into a racial argument or even a race war which (I think) you are an advocate for based on your "peace from retribution" statement. That I consider race baiting. I will tell you this and even guarantee it ... you will never receive a penny of retribution just because your skin is black. The best retribution you can hope to receive is that which allows you to succeed based on the content of your character, not the color of your skin.

[@ansilumens1444]

After 1776, I suppose the American government could have abolished slavery at any time, if they wanted to.

[@diogenes3300]

It was a state's issue until it forcibly wasn't anymore (hence the need for the Civil War...) In 1776 there were people who wanted to end it, and there were groups (even in the south) before 1776 that morally condemned it.

[@Cat-ik1wo]

Colonization always has the element of greed.

[@republicunited2183]

My ancestor was one to colonize Jameston, VA. before 1619. And 1776 made America better.