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Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day for May 14, 2020
The Number of the Day columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
May 14, 2020: On May 14, 1607—413 years ago today—Jamestown, Virginia was established and became the first permanent British settlement in North America.[1]
The difficult conditions were highlighted by the fact that only 60 out of 214 initial inhabitants survived the first eight months in Jamestown. As more settlers arrived, the colony slowly grew. But another harsh winter in 1609 nearly brought it to an end.[1] Still, despite the harsh conditions, the settlement survived to play a key role in American history.
Just over 12 years after Jamestown was established, two momentous events occurred that have played key roles in defining American history. On July 30, 1619, the first representative assembly was formed, beginning America’s long tradition of self-governance.[2] Just a few weeks later—and just a few blocks away—the first slaves were sold in Jamestown.[1] That began America’s long tradition of institutionalized racism.
As noted in my last book, “These two narratives—one positive and one negative—have competed and interacted to define America ever since. These dueling histories directly impact the way we perceive events today.”[3]
Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology.
- May 13, 2020 –14% of voters want Congress to stop spending now
- May 12, 2020 –60% of voters okay allowing all businesses to re-open with social distancing protocols
- May 11, 2020 –26% consider trade policies to be primarily a national security issue
- May 8, 2020 –66% of new COVID-19 hospital admissions in NY are people who stayed at home
- May 7, 2020 –5 million masks made by volunteers in Utah
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Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
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See also
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Library of Congress, "America's Story from America's Library," accessed May 13, 2020
- ↑ History.com, "First legislative assembly in America convenes in Jamestown," accessed May 13, 2020
- ↑ Rasmussen, S. (2018). The Sun is Still Rising: Politics Has Failed But America Will Not. Salt Lake City, UT: Sutherland Institute.
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