AMERICAN HISTORY! TREASURES | LOST OR FOUND?

I was taking the time to reflect upon the question that I had written previously within my blog post. I took aim to try to answer it, but also wrote why I thought that the question should remain open-ended. Particularly because of the length, breadth and depth that became apparent. But this does not suggest that the question is not answerable, because it is. And of course it has answers too.

Question: Why is the difference between The Ages of Expeditions / Explorations, Slavery and Confederacy important to decipher with?

Hussain, July 9th 2020.

Analysis / Student Tips: Most of the time when given a question to answer: to gain understanding of the question – we engage in a process called dissection. Dissection which is a latin word, that means to simply cut into pieces, exactly as the word suggests. In a similar way; we breakdown the question into parts – dissect. As I also did with my own question. I further became interested with the part of the question related to Confederacy. I realized the symbols of flags and statues can also be analyzed as individual topics of discussion.

Hernando de Soto: With regards to the flags: there are associations to history suggesting slave-holding states, and also considered to symbolize regional pride and heritage. However, prior to the arrival of slavery within America – there were also the explorations of America. Which came from the Spanish expeditions. Columbus who was an Italian was funded by the Crown of Castile, Spain. With the success of his missions, other explorers were further inspired. Hernando de Soto later discovered states which are now called: Florida, Georgia, Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas. These sates were discovered between 1539-1542.

The same states that were discovered by de Soto were also entitled as the Confederate States of America between 1861 – 1865. Yet, the Confederacy is associated with Slavery that took part worldwide and within America. But between the Spanish discovery of the states, and the beginning of the Confederacy, there is a gap of 319 years. It is within this gap of 319 years we are called to ask: What happened? What changed to make these states from the original Spanish discovery – to the naming and labelling of Slave holding states?

between the Spanish discovery of the states, and the beginning of the Confederacy, there is a gap of 319 years. #ShaziaBlog #Quote #AmericanHistory

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It is without a doubt that at present day there must be a high regard, or should be a high regard held for those who discovered the very states of America? And it must be acknowledged that the symbols of Confederacy, flags / statues, came well after the discovery of these states. And it was also with this discovery that German mapmaker Martin Waldseemuller, named the lands that de Soto discovered as: “America” thus, America was added to the world map.

German mapmaker Martin Waldseemuller, named the lands that de Soto discovered as: “America” #ShaziaBlog #Quote #AmericanHistory

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As we peel away the layers and layers of construction of nations, we are lost and found, lost and found. Treasures, ancestry who say we found you. Can we ignore that? As the fight of life continues to once again ask: who matters? Which populations are worth fighting for? What is the fight? We must all matter?

I was so excited about this discovery that I decided to tweet it. But later I decided to delete the tweet, because I thought there was a need for a complete thought related to the tweet.

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5. Image created with CANVA.COM
6. Image personal photograph originally shared via Twitter @MsSsHussain

Related Links:

1. BLOG POST | A Q AND A!
2. BLOG POST | THE USMCA!
3. BLOG POST | ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?
4. SPLC | Whose Heritage? Public Symbols of the Confederacy
5. US History By Open Stax

Notes – These thoughts were originally hand-written on July 20th, 2020.

My thoughts to share with love & kindness! 🙂