I am just watching Ken Burns' series Baseball, and they had several people saying that the Black Sox scandal ranked among the greatest tragedies in American history...The rationale being that baseball was THE American pastime, the major source of entertainment, and that the fact that it was revealed to be corrupted shook America's faith in itself as much as Watergate...Not sure if I agree, but it brings to mind an interesting question...What were the worst moments in American history, not in terms of number of deaths, nor even in terms of actual damage to our way of life, but in terms of public perception, at the time, of complete tragedy. Here's my list The order is debatable...in fact, out them in your order, or add your own)... 1) Pearl Harbor. 2) Watergate. 3) Abraham Lincoln's assassination. 4) 9-11. 5) Custer's Last Stand. 6) The loss of the VietNam War. 7) JFK's assasination. 8) Black Tuesday. 9) The Black Sox Scandal. 10) Harper's Ferry. I'm sure there are others I am forgetting...McCarthyism...the St. Valentine's Day Massacre..etc. What do you guys think, and why? 9)
Brittney Spears signs record contract. Survivor is #1 show on television. America pulls out of Vietnam without finishing the job, turning a military victory into a political defeat. Roe v. Wade
Bill Clinton's impeachment -- disgraced the office of the President OJ found 'not guilty' - made a mockery out of our judicial system
I'm not sure how anything could be worse than 9/11 IMHO. Twice as many lives lost as Pearl Harbor (not to downplay PH) and all civilians. You have to put MLK's assasination and The Challenger explosion in there too.
others: Civil War British Burning Down WHite House in 1814 Shuttle Challenger Accident The Great Depression Titantic Oklahoma City Bombing Lindberg Baby Kidnapping OJ Simpson Trail The Crash of the Hindenberg
You mentioned Civil War but the Battle at Antietam was the worst day in American History. Damn near 23,000 lives lost in 12 hours of fighting. Folks it don't get any worse than that. Holy crap, did a little research getting that number and stumbled across this: The war's last survivor, Walter Williams, a Confederate in the Texas forces, died in Houston on December 19, 1959, at the age of 117. 117?!?!? Holy hell!
Since trying to list America's best accomplishments would be impossible, I will play. Add to your list- 1. Assassination of Civil Rights leaders Evers and King. 2. Trail of Tears 3. Government suppression of labor strikes during early 1900's 4. Alien and Sedition Act 5. Yellow Journalism provokes Spanish American War 6. Confederate Concentration camps 7. Government lies that provoked a sustained Vietnam War
Wow! JH...I would say that those are, amazingly, more of the second type of tragedies I listed, the kind which had an actual effect, as opposed to the kind which was largely percieved as tragic at the time. Impressive list, though. And the earlier mention of Antietam qualifies under the 1st...most deaths, surely, but it wasn't seen as badly as it was...and not as badly as other days. By then the US was largely immune to the numbers, at least relative to their otherwise amazing significance. In terms of public panic, i would say that the 1st Bull Run was greater, as many thought that the road to Washington was open for Confederate taking at that point.
Once could argue that Election day 2000 (and the following stuff) was one of the finest days in our country. A truly contested election that was resolved peacefully with a smooth transition of power. No revolutions, no rioting, no panic in the streets. A great example of how our system, flawed as it is, works.
I am a big fan of the space program, and I think there have been several events that can be considered tragic that gripped the country. The first two on the list play on the space race as a parallel to the Cold War, and one that we appeared to be on the verge of losing at the time. 1. USSR beating the US to space 2. Apollo fire that killed 3 astronauts Obviously the tragedy of the loss of life is exhibited with the third event on the list. 3. Challenger and Columbia explosions
1972 Olympics Munich, Germany. Mens Basketball team. It took the Russians two times to try to beat us. ---- Now that I think about it. Not Russians, but Soviet
I think the entire period of Slavery has to be number one on my list. The McCarthy hearings on communism should be on there too, and everything that went along with it. IMO. The whole Venerial disease on black servicemen incident was a pretty harsh day in the nation's history too. Jim Crow laws. Trail of tears and all other treatment of the American Indians in the first half of the country's history. The others I have are on other people's list.
1. Pearl Harbor 2. WTC/Pentagon 3. Abraham Lincoln assassination 4. John F. Kennedy assassination 5. Vietnam 6. 2000 Stolen election
