Reconstruction

The fact that I actually know what "Reconstruction" is now is, in itself, quite amazing. It's the period of time immediately following the Civil War (1865-1877) where the government was attempting to repair the country from the great damage and devastation of the War. With over 650,000 dead, the South basically levelled by battle, industry and economy at a standstill, and the emancipation of blacks just starting to play out -- the country was in total chaos. And the average age of a veteran was 26 years old...What a horrible time to live!

Even with the ridiculous amount of chaos going on in America today: the ongoing battles between political parties that have never left since the Civil War, unemployment rate at 8.6%, gangs and violence, a scary man in office as President, wars and rumors of wars, sleaze and filth everywhere, crime running rampant in the streets, our prisons and jails overflowing, etc. etc. etc...America is still the best place in the world to live.

I'm grateful for:
* A birth year that starts with "19" instead of "18"
* The freedom to worship as I choose
* The ability (especially as a woman) to vote, to have gainful employment and to have a voice
* Huge strides toward racial equity -- so far that sometimes it's almost backwards now
* Technology -- that teaches us, enables communication & saves lives (among so many other things)
* A full stomach and clean water
* That I've never lost a loved one to war
* That my children have never known true need
* That I personally have not suffered horrendous racial, gender or religious discrimination
* Soldiers who fought for all of these things (and so many more) in ANY battle -- for me

And ultimately, I guess, I'm grateful to be taking this History class to remind me of all these things.