From Europe to America: History Repeats Itself

"Regions" seems to be one of the most important words in these first chapters of Schulze's book. "Regions" made up the Roman and Germanic Empires and it was regions that gained their independence from the Church. Looking at Germany today, there are very obvious traces of this type of thinking holding true. Many Germans identify as being from a region despite being from a state. On pg. 58, Schulze talks about how the word “patria” (meaning fatherland) was used but not in reference to the nation of Germany but to the place one feels they are most attached to whether its their hometown or principality. This picture of old Europe is one of modern day Germany and even the US. Do you think of yourself as American or from Chicago? Are you from Georgia or just “Southern?”

These types of ideals also caused major changes. The Thirty Years War was sparked by conflict between the Catholic and Protestant regions. The aim was to restore the unity of Europe in Catholicism and resulted in major divisions within the empires. Sound familiar? The US in the Civil War also consisted of regions fighting regions. While the Civil War lead to unity, the Thirty Years War lead to revolutions of different kinds. Martin Luther introduced his new religion. Out of that it was eventually decided that religion in the regions would be based on the preference of the ruler. The European Empire was to be equally represented by Protestant and Catholics and the central government was split among nations in the middle of the continent. Once again, sound familiar?

It’s funny how history repeats itself. When Europeans arrived on US soil to begin their life in a new land, the same events and issues occurred. I wonder if it ever occurred to those settlers that this is where their ancestors had to go through as well.