The Myths We Tell Ourselves
The AP's reflection on George Washington and the Siege of Boston, framed around a Presidents Day celebration, paints a picture of a decisive early victory that 'gave new life and momentum to the Revolution' and set the stage for future successes. This common retelling highlights Washington's strategic genius and the patriots' morale boost, implying a clear, linear path to American independence
from an inherently benevolent origin story. However, this largely omits the brutal realities of the conflict and the ongoing dispossession of indigenous peoples that ran parallel to these revolutionary ideals. While the British abandoned Boston on March 17, 1776, clearing the way for colonial expansion, other 'victories' for the nascent United States meant crushing indigenous resistance, often
with the same military tactics and leadership. For instance, just a few decades later, Andrew Jackson, glorified in his own era, would orchestrate the forced removal of the Cherokee Nation during the 'Trail of Tears' in 1838, echoing a continuous pattern of land seizure masked by nationalistic triumph. The emphasis on the 'founding fathers' as unequivocally heroic figures, while suppressing the
complexities of their actions, mirrors contemporary efforts to sanitize historical figures and policies to avoid confronting uncomfortable truths. This selective remembrance allows for a convenient narrative of American exceptionalism, sidestepping the uncomfortable fact that the very freedoms celebrated were built upon the subjugation and displacement of others. It's a pattern seen globally,