<Author>Michael</Author>
<Topic>A Brief Introduction to My Country's History</Topic>
<Source></Source>
<Nationality>USA</Nationality>
Dear Zhao, 
Now, let me tell you. The United States has had a rather brief history compared to that of China. Christopher Columbus only came to the Dominican Republic first in 1492, thinking that he had found India, and perhaps the Vikings landed on the coast of Newfoundland, North America's most northeastern land area, about a thousand years ago. In 1992, when America was celebrating its 500th anniversary of Columbus' discovery, there were some indigenous groups who preferred to consider it the 500th anniversary of Columbus' invasion of the Americas. At the same time, Oxford University and Cambridge University in England, Heidelberg University in Germany, Uppsala University in Sweden, and the University of Pisa in Italy, and others were already celebrating 700-800 years of history. And of course, you have the various dynasties going all the way back before the time of Christ. So, perhaps your history is much richer than ours.
But, you are asking me about our rich history as Americans? Ah, well let me identify a few aspects of the rich history. Will you pardon me if I pass by some bad aspects of our history for a moment, and only talk about some shining moments in our history? OK, thanks.
In the middle of the Revolutionary War against England, the handsome, red headed, innovative, and intelligent thirty-three year old Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, truly one of the great documents in human history. Although he had many achievements in his life, including being our third President, before his death, he asked for only three epigraphs on his tombstone. He wished only to be remembered as the" father of the Declaration of Independence," "father of the Statute of Religious Freedom in the Commonwealth of Virginia. " " and father of the University of Virginia, "which he founded in 1819. Since I taught at the University of Virginia, now America's number one public university, for many years, I have a very special appreciation for Jefferson.
Our great emancipator of the Negro slaves during the 1860' s was our tall lanky plainspoken sixteenth President, Abraham Lincoln. His "Gettysburg Address," like the Declaration of Independence, is one of the great documents of American history. His second inaugural address "With Malice Toward None, and Charity for All," shortly before he was assassinated, remains one of the best efforts at regional reconciliation in American history.
Woodrow Wilson, first as President of Princeton University, and later America's World War I President had a great vision for the League of Nations as a means of bringing all nations together to settle international disputes and to create a peaceful world. Although the United States Senate declined to have America join the League of Nations, which ended with the beginning of the Second World War, it might be appropriate to call him the grandfather of the United Nations, which was founded in 1945 because of his earlier very strong belief in international peace and security as an essential aspect of human society.
Zhao, I don't have the time to mention all of our rich American history and some of our pivotal leaders. I cannot end this letter, however, without mentioning one more leader whose influence on American history was profound. This is President Franklyn D. Roosevelt, who led the United States both through the Great Depression of the 1930's, and served as our President during World War II. His "Four Freedoms" speech in 1933, and his speech when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, both are hallmarks of our most important American historical developments.
Have I mentioned President John F. Kennedy' s famous inaugural address in which he said.
"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country"? One of his major achievements before he was assassinated was creating the Peace Corps so that Americans could assist people throughout the developing world in creating their own sustainable development. I'll leave such great American leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and his leadership of the civil rights movement in the 1960' s to another time.
In any case, dear Zhao, I hope that the information I have given you in this letter gives you a very short introduction to the richness of our country. I look forward to hearing more about the long and rich history of your country, China.
With best wishes, your American friend, Michael.
