4 ms·

Of course, they are important, but so are many other things - and speaking e.g. from a European POV, a lot of other events are simply much more salient and comm

Of course, they are important, but so are many other things - and speaking e.g. from a European POV, a lot of other events are simply much more salient and commonplace - and the same is probably even more true for other continents (would a random reasonably educated American or European person know when the Meiji restauration happened or when Latin America became independent?). You can't expect everyone to have memorised all the important dates.

mixmastamyk 2y ago
America was a backwater at the time and therefore the best place to experiment with European enlightenment ideals. Which it did, and was a direct factor in the French Revolution. I also learned about numerous revolutions in Latin America from Mexico to Bolivar to San Martin over the early 1800s. The events that directly affect the modern world should be covered in school. I’d say revolutions that created large modern states would be among them.
- Tainnor 2y ago
  Of course, we learn about the American Revolution in schools, but people aren't going to remember every date they were taught in schools. The founding of Rome or the Punic Wars are also hugely important for today's world, but not everyone can place them. The reason most US Americans probably can place the American Revolution is because I assume it's so often commememorated there. In Germany, people would be much more likely to remember the years 1933, 1949 and 1989, because of how often they're referenced.
- kergonath 2y ago
  > I’d say revolutions that created large modern states would be among them. The Russian revolution as well. And the Chinese one. It’s quite difficult to make sense of the late 20th century (yes, I know) without them. Or the early 21th.
  - mixmastamyk 2y ago
    Agreed, and it doesn't mean memorizing a date as folks here keep mentioning. The nearest decade is fine in most cases.
    - kergonath 2y ago
      Indeed. The order of things (what influenced what, and what directly caused what) is much more important than the accurate date
    - Tainnor 2y ago
      do you remember the decade of the Treaty of Westfalia? Because if you live in central Europe, that's at least as important as the American Revolution.
      - mixmastamyk 2y ago
        I slightly misspoke above. The important part in my opinion is the milestone of democracy. That it happened nearby wars is somewhat incidental and common. What I mostly remember about the HRE is that it wasn’t Holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire. :D. My first guess of mid 1600s is not too far off. (Westphalian sovereignty is interesting… reading about it now.) Those governments have been replaced multiple times over the centuries however, so achievements at the time were not stable.
        Tainnor 2y ago
        > Those governments have been replaced multiple times over the centuries however, so achievements at the time were not stable. The Peace of Westfalia signalled the end of major religious strife within Christianity and laid the foundation for today's modern conception of a nation-state. In my opinion, this is at least as important as the American Revolution.

mixmastamyk 2y ago

America was a backwater at the time and therefore the best place to experiment with European enlightenment ideals. Which it did, and was a direct factor in the French Revolution. I also learned about numerous revolutions in Latin America from Mexico to Bolivar to San Martin over the early 1800s. The events that directly affect the modern world should be covered in school. I’d say revolutions that created large modern states would be among them.

Tainnor 2y ago
Of course, we learn about the American Revolution in schools, but people aren't going to remember every date they were taught in schools. The founding of Rome or the Punic Wars are also hugely important for today's world, but not everyone can place them. The reason most US Americans probably can place the American Revolution is because I assume it's so often commememorated there. In Germany, people would be much more likely to remember the years 1933, 1949 and 1989, because of how often they're referenced.
kergonath 2y ago
> I’d say revolutions that created large modern states would be among them. The Russian revolution as well. And the Chinese one. It’s quite difficult to make sense of the late 20th century (yes, I know) without them. Or the early 21th.
- mixmastamyk 2y ago
  Agreed, and it doesn't mean memorizing a date as folks here keep mentioning. The nearest decade is fine in most cases.
  - kergonath 2y ago
    Indeed. The order of things (what influenced what, and what directly caused what) is much more important than the accurate date
  - Tainnor 2y ago
    do you remember the decade of the Treaty of Westfalia? Because if you live in central Europe, that's at least as important as the American Revolution.
    - mixmastamyk 2y ago
      I slightly misspoke above. The important part in my opinion is the milestone of democracy. That it happened nearby wars is somewhat incidental and common. What I mostly remember about the HRE is that it wasn’t Holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire. :D. My first guess of mid 1600s is not too far off. (Westphalian sovereignty is interesting… reading about it now.) Those governments have been replaced multiple times over the centuries however, so achievements at the time were not stable.
      - Tainnor 2y ago
        > Those governments have been replaced multiple times over the centuries however, so achievements at the time were not stable. The Peace of Westfalia signalled the end of major religious strife within Christianity and laid the foundation for today's modern conception of a nation-state. In my opinion, this is at least as important as the American Revolution.