Episode Details

  8. Headline: The Battle of Monuments and the Dark Legacy of Revolution Guest Author: Robert G. Parkinson The final segment discusses the "Battle of Monuments" between the Cresup and Logan families, which persisted into the early 20th century. Parkinson reflects on the "darkness" of the frontier, viewing colonial institutions as a "flicker" of light used to make sense of a terrifying world. He highlights a missed 1778 opportunity for the Delaware nation to become the 14th state of the union. Ultimately, the Revolution emboldened land-hungry pioneers, transforming once-suspicious frontiersmen into the centerpiece of American identity while enabling a government-supported pursuit of expansion at the expense of indigenous peoples. 8
1793