Steven Hahn

He ended up arguing that he thought it was likely or is certainly possible that the United States could very, very quickly move toward a despotism and where people would be willing to give up their rights in loyalty to a strongman.

He ended up arguing that he thought it was likely or is certainly possible that the United States could very, very quickly move toward a despotism and where people would be willing to give up their rights in loyalty to a strongman.

So you read this and you think, you know, I think he really had his finger on things that were going on in the 1830s that oftentimes, as you mentioned, are kind of overlooked because it has become one of those texts that are iconic in establishing ideas of American exceptionalism. And it was republished.

So you read this and you think, you know, I think he really had his finger on things that were going on in the 1830s that oftentimes, as you mentioned, are kind of overlooked because it has become one of those texts that are iconic in establishing ideas of American exceptionalism. And it was republished.

During the early phases of the Cold War, when ideas about American exceptionalism and American consensus were taking great strength.

During the early phases of the Cold War, when ideas about American exceptionalism and American consensus were taking great strength.

Right. Obviously, the expulsion of Native peoples from their lands east of the Mississippi to what was regarded as Indian territory, which was really the first territory in the United States that was not imagined as heading towards statehood. So it's not entirely clear what it was. This was the end of a process that had begun back in the 17th

Right. Obviously, the expulsion of Native peoples from their lands east of the Mississippi to what was regarded as Indian territory, which was really the first territory in the United States that was not imagined as heading towards statehood. So it's not entirely clear what it was. This was the end of a process that had begun back in the 17th

century that was directed toward removing, expelling Native people. But the thing that's important to recognize is that this was a central aspect of American society and political culture in that period. Free African Americans were targeted for expulsion. It was called colonization. This goes back to the 18th century and even Thomas Jefferson, who couldn't really imagine how white and black people

century that was directed toward removing, expelling Native people. But the thing that's important to recognize is that this was a central aspect of American society and political culture in that period. Free African Americans were targeted for expulsion. It was called colonization. This goes back to the 18th century and even Thomas Jefferson, who couldn't really imagine how white and black people

could live together under conditions of freedom in some ways that Tocqueville re-articulated. But there were mobs that were focused on driving out not only African Americans in cities where they were free or had escaped from enslavement, Catholics, Mormons, you know, Joseph Smith is murdered in the 1840s, not far from Springfield, Illinois, Lincoln's place, abolitionists.

could live together under conditions of freedom in some ways that Tocqueville re-articulated. But there were mobs that were focused on driving out not only African Americans in cities where they were free or had escaped from enslavement, Catholics, Mormons, you know, Joseph Smith is murdered in the 1840s, not far from Springfield, Illinois, Lincoln's place, abolitionists.

The 1830s were a time of these anti-abolitionist riots in cities large and small because they were accused of promoting miscegenation. And what was the remedy? The remedy was to drive them out

The 1830s were a time of these anti-abolitionist riots in cities large and small because they were accused of promoting miscegenation. And what was the remedy? The remedy was to drive them out

That's a really good question. And in fact, it suggests the way in which historical understanding and thinking has really changed. One of the reasons that Jackson attained heroic proportions for a very long time was his status as an enslaver and his multifaceted role as an Indian fighter tended to be diminished. And what was emphasized was his apparent weakness.

That's a really good question. And in fact, it suggests the way in which historical understanding and thinking has really changed. One of the reasons that Jackson attained heroic proportions for a very long time was his status as an enslaver and his multifaceted role as an Indian fighter tended to be diminished. And what was emphasized was his apparent weakness.

for the common man, popular democracy, the age of Jackson, so to speak. You know, Jackson thought, like many white Americans thought, that Native people didn't belong, that they were in jeopardy of basically dying out And that what he was doing was actually in their interest by finding a territory outside of the centers of population where Native people could in some ways be safe.

for the common man, popular democracy, the age of Jackson, so to speak. You know, Jackson thought, like many white Americans thought, that Native people didn't belong, that they were in jeopardy of basically dying out And that what he was doing was actually in their interest by finding a territory outside of the centers of population where Native people could in some ways be safe.

You know, we only would read this in a horrifying way because of what we've learned about the really complicated history of Native peoples. and how this has been a long-term process of expulsion. So he tried to dress it up as something that he was doing as an alternative to their physical destruction and their dying out.

You know, we only would read this in a horrifying way because of what we've learned about the really complicated history of Native peoples. and how this has been a long-term process of expulsion. So he tried to dress it up as something that he was doing as an alternative to their physical destruction and their dying out.