American History History Repeating Itself
Professor Greg Jackson discusses his book 'Been There, Done That' on the occasion of America's 250th anniversary, arguing that contested elections, political violence, and misinformation are recurring patterns throughout U.S. history that Americans have repeatedly overcome. He emphasizes that vigilant civic participation—not just the founders—has been essential to preserving the republic.
Summary
In this interview marking America's 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Professor Greg Jackson from Utah Valley University's Center for Constitutional Studies discusses the cyclical nature of American history. Drawing on Mark Twain's observation that history doesn't repeat but rhymes, Jackson identifies three major recurring challenges: contested elections, political violence, and fake news. He traces these issues from the 1790s through 1900 to demonstrate they are not new phenomena.
Jackson highlights the 1876 election as the most corrupt in American history, featuring widespread violence against Black voters, bribery attempts, and the extraordinary situation where South Carolina reported 101% of its votes cast. This contested election led to multiple states submitting competing electoral vote sets, forcing Congress to determine which votes counted and establishing precedent for how electoral votes are counted—a principle that echoes into contemporary election disputes.
Regarding misinformation, Jackson traces the problem back to Benjamin Franklin and Paul Revere, who used inflammatory imagery to depict events like the Boston Massacre. The British press called the 1770 event a 'disturbance' where troops defended themselves, while the Boston Gazette called it a 'bloody massacre'—illustrating how competing narratives about the same event have long shaped American politics. This evolved into yellow journalism in the 19th century.
The central hopeful message of Jackson's work is that while these crises are genuine and serious, Americans have consistently overcome them through civic engagement and informed participation. He positions America's survival of 250 years as evidence of resilience rather than guarantee of complacency, comparing current challenges to a doctor's advice to exercise and eat right—necessary work, not existential doom.
About this episode
As the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, we can look back and see the recurring themes and lessons in American history. Host of the podcast History That Doesn't Suck and professor at Utah Valley University's Center for Constitutional Studies Greg Jackson joins Bloomberg This Weekend to discuss his new book Been There, Done That, How Our History Shows What We Can Overcome with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, which explores these moments in history. -------- Watch Bloomberg Radio LIVE on YouTube Weekdays 7am-6pm ET Saturday & Sunday 7am-10am ET WATCH HERE: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/BloombergRadio Subscribe to our Podcasts: Bloomberg Daybreak: http://bit.ly/3DWYoAN Bloomberg Surveillance: http://bit.ly/3OPtReI Bloomberg Intelligence: http://bit.ly/3YrBfOi Balance of Power: http://bit.ly/3OO8eLC Bloomberg Businessweek: http://bit.ly/3IPl60i Listen on Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with the Bloomberg Business app: Apple CarPlay: https://apple.co/486mghI Android Auto: https://bit.ly/49benZy Visit our YouTube channels: Bloomberg Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/bloombergpodcasts Bloomberg Television: https://www.youtube.com/@markets Bloomberg Originals: https://www.youtube.com/bloomberg Quicktake: https://www.youtube.com/@BloombergQuicktake
Key Insights
- Jackson claims the 1876 election was the most corrupt in American history, featuring hundreds of murdered Black voters, bribery attempts, and South Carolina reporting 101% voter turnout, which forced Congress to establish precedent for determining which electoral votes counted
- Jackson argues that competing partisan narratives about factual events—such as the British press calling the Boston Massacre an 'unhappy disturbance' while the Boston Gazette called it a 'bloody massacre'—demonstrate that misinformation as a political tool dates back to the founding era
- Jackson contends that the founders explicitly rejected the notion of perfection in the Constitution, calling it only 'a more perfect union' and building in mechanisms for amendment, while emphasizing that civic participation by ordinary Americans—not great men—has been the actual force preserving the republic
Topics
Transcript
[0:00] Um, we are just 2 weeks away from a major national milestone, America turning 250 years old. That's 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. And if you've ever seen the musical Hamilton, you know at least one part of the Declaration by heart. I won't sing it. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. >> I think you were supposed to sing it, or at least speak it rhythmically. >> up for that. >> All right, we tried. Uh, but of course there's a lot more to our country's history than the line of a musical. And here to tell us all about it is host of the podcast…
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