This article was originally published on HistoricTalk
Compared to a lot of other countries, American history is relatively short. However, that doesn't mean it hasn't been eventful. A lot has happened since European colonists settled in the New World, and not all of that history has been pleasant. But all those things turned the U.S.A. into the one-of-a-kind place it is today. While nothing can replace a history book, these memes do a pretty hilarious job of summing up America and all its quirks - so get ready to learn about the country's past in a way you never have.
Thanks But We'll Keep Our Consolidation Of Power
Everyone knows that George Washington was the first president of the United States, but not everyone knows how many seemingly good ideas he had regarding the future of the country. During a time when it was pretty much unheard of for a leader to step down voluntarily, he decided not to run for a third term, despite people urging him to stay on. He also warned against the two-party system America is stuck with today.
Specifically, he warned against the power that two parties have to take revenge on each other when they have the majority, which honestly is starting to sound eerily familiar for some reason.
President Kennedy After Dropping His Decade Timeline For The Moon
If you really think about it, both the Soviet Union's and America's progress in putting a man on the moon was pretty extraordinary. Humans had only invented the airplane less than a century before, and here these countries were getting ready to build a rocket and put astronauts on another celestial object. So, when we think of the people at NASA at the time mulling over former President Kennedy's moonshot speech, this is kind of how we think of it going down.
That was a huge undertaking, and we're sure that pretty much everyone at NASA was nervous they wouldn't make the decade timeline Kennedy set out in his now-famous speech.
Ah, Yes Thanks For The Permission
Pretty much every American learns about prohibition in grade school, and they also learn about how it was a complete failure. The only thing prohibition did is drive alcohol sales and consumption underground and lead to the rise of organized crime in the U.S. (Sound oddly familiar?) So, when the U.S. finally ended prohibition, many Americans were pretty much thinking the same thing as the kid in this meme.
We guess there was one other thing to come out of prohibition. That was bootleggers tricking out their cars to evade police, which led to Nascar. So, yay, we guess?
Would You Look At Those Right Angles
If you take a globe and look at the borders of most countries throughout the world, you'll notice a common theme. Nearly all of those countries have borders that don't make a whole lot of sense without taking into account historical events, local differences, and natural barriers. Then you have some of the states in the U.S., which are basically rectangles or states with two or more squared corners.
These usually tend to be the states that were located in the less populated areas of what was formerly the Louisiana territory and the Southwest U.S. We guess American lawmakers just loved their rectangles back in the day.
Things Are About To Get Awkwarddd
For whatever reason, John F. Kennedy's presidency read like something out of a modern political drama. There was intrigue everywhere, from dealing with the Soviet Union and communist spies to his "alleged" relationship with Marilyn Monroe. And while we wish we could've been there the infamous night Monroe sang him "Happy Birthday," we're also kind of glad that we weren't. We're sure the room was pretty tense during the whole thing.
There's also no way something like that would fly today. The media would be all over it, unlike in the past when they tended not to report on things like that.
Who Really 'Discovered' The Americas?
Honestly, we kind of feel bad for the Vikings. Imagine being a Viking sailor and braving icy cold seas to explore a place you probably believe contains sea monsters or something, and then making contact with an entirely unknown group of humans, only to be completely forgotten about for centuries. Only within the past couple of decades have researchers started to rewrite the history of the "discovery" of the Americas.
Not only that, but you could make a perfectly sound argument that the ancestors of Native Americans really discovered the continent. It's also kind of hard to believe that nobody from eastern Russia looked out, saw Alaska, and didn't decide to just row over.
Phew That Was Close...
We couldn't imagine having to be a kid and being sent off to fight in World War II. The conflict took millions of lives, and it wasn't expected to end as quickly as it did after the surrender of Germany. Most thought that it would drag on for years as Japan had not yet surrendered and promised to fight on to the very end. So, imagine being a 17-year-old kid and hearing the news that the war had finally ended.
Now imagine being a 17-year-old kid and watching the war to end all wars come to a close, only to see a conflict with Korea pop up a couple of years later.
That's A Lot Of Explaining To Do
It doesn't matter where you went to school; if you attended a school in the U.S., then you learned extensively about the Louisiana Purchase. However, the other two events referenced in this meme are usually skimmed over in less detail. Russia sold Alaska to America for what, even then, was a pretty paltry sum because they didn't want to focus on having to govern a far-off colony at the time.
The Treaty of Guadalupe was the end result of the Mexican-American War, and it saw Mexico hand over a huge portion of its territory to its northern neighbor after hostilities.
Well, Funny Meeting You Here
When Americans think about the country's actions during World War II, it's often in flattering terms. That might be one of the only conflicts besides World War I where many believe the U.S. did no wrong. And while they were definitely on the right side of history, that doesn't mean that they didn't do some shady things after the war. This meme highlights one of those shady things in a humorous way.
This also makes us want to go out and find a book written by a Jewish scientist from the era working in the U.S. and their thoughts on the country harboring Nazi scientists after the war.
No Take Backs Russia
When Russia sold Alaska to the U.S., it was a pretty contentious sale. Not everyone in Russia agreed with the decision, even if it just seemed like the land contained nothing but ice and snow. So, we couldn't imagine what Russian leaders were thinking when America discovered oil in Alaska and started cashing in. There's also the little fact that Alaska gave America territory close to its border, which considering relations, we're sure they wish wasn't the case.
But to be fair, people in the U.S. weren't too thrilled about the purchase of Alaska at the time either, and it was actually mocked by some, who gave it the name "Seward's Folly."
Say Hello To Your New Home: Okla-Homa
The history of Native Americans in the U.S. is truly pretty tragic. From the spread of disease to the expulsion of most tribes from the Southeast to reservations in Oklahoma, that history has not been a pretty one. This meme pretty much sums that up, as hostilities between the federal government and tribes in the Southeast had ceased when the government passed the Indian Removal Act, which led to the Trail of Tears.
It's also worth remembering that there were plenty of tribes in other parts of the country that were either confined to small reservations or wiped out from their ancestral lands entirely.
'Things Are Going Grea... '
It's kind of ironic that the roaring 1920s led to one of the most economically hard times in modern history. However, it certainly did, and this meme pretty much sums up what people were probably thinking back then. We're sure that nobody had any idea things would get so bad in only a decade. There were millions of people put out of work, not to mention it provided Nazi Germany cover to start World War II.
However, we're sure that some of the conditions that allowed the Roaring Twenties to happen in the first place were what eventually led to the Great Depression.
The Philippines Has Had It Pretty Rough
There are plenty of countries that suffered because of colonization, but the Philippines is probably somewhere near the top of that list. The Spanish were there for so long that their language contains heavy Spanish influences. When the U.S. wrestled the island from the Spanish, there was some hope on the island that they'd gain independence, but it didn't turn out that way, and they'd have to wait until after World War II.
That's why today, the country is probably one of the most westernized in the region, and it's not uncommon to find people who speak English or Spanish there.
Why're You Changing Your Mind All Of A Sudden?
Unfortunately, this meme is all too true. It's not super uncommon to look at comments on a social media post about a news article and see someone who's written something similar to "If you don't like it, then go back to Africa." However, that doesn't hold much water since slave traders brought Black people over to the U.S. against their will in the first place, making America their country.
And as such, Black people have just as much of a right to express their opinions and advocate for change as anyone else who is an American citizen.
Just Make Up Your Mind Already U. S.
The history of U.S. foreign policy is pretty complicated, and it's influenced by the country's own history of being a colony, along with all kinds of other factors. That said, this meme pretty much sums it up perfectly. America has always declared itself on the side of freedom and has done a lot in the way of dismantling dictatorships around the globe, sometimes to replace those dictatorships with other dictatorships.
There have even been quite a few cases where it's dismantled elected governments and installed dictatorships under the guise of democracy. It's all been a seesaw of sorts.
Isn't The Circle Of Life Beautiful?
We've never actually thought about the baby boomer generation like this, but this meme makes a good point. The same generation who eventually gave birth to the baby boomers was also making a different kind of boomer in the factories during World War II. Not only that, but they were pretty much the first generation of women in the U.S. to work in factories like this on a mass scale.
However, we're still pretty sure that this isn't how the baby boomers actually got their name. Instead, it probably had to do with a booming population at the time.
Oh You Found Oil Did You
This meme pretty much hits the nail on the head. The U.S. always talks about spreading democracy and freedom in pretty peaceful terms and to be fair, there have been SOME examples of that happening throughout its history. However, more often than not, U.S. foreign policy has resembled this plotline from The Game Of Thrones. That's especially true when you think about its history in South America or, more recently, in Iraq.
While this meme is pretty spot-on and hilarious, it's also kind of depressing when you think about how true this actually is. All you need to do is replace the dragon with a gunship.
So Funny, Yet So True
A lot of Americans know that the U.S. received a huge number of Irish immigrants at one point in time, but not as many know when or why. The fact is that Ireland was going through a devastating famine around the mid-19th century, and many people from Ireland decided to pack up and relocate to America. We're sure that it didn't look exactly like the scene being portrayed in this meme, though.
There's also the small issue of them being persecuted by the British at the time, which meant they weren't free to worship how they wished. So, many fled for religious reasons.
They Were Actually Doing Just Fine
Whether we're talking about the Vikings or Christopher Columbus, we usually use the phrase "discover" quite a bit. However, the continent was only discovered by the Old World. There had been people living there for centuries, and to them, it was just home. Not to mention they weren't doing too bad by most accounts. Diseases like the plague and smallpox weren't even a thing, and they didn't have to contend with musket-wielding settlers.
Also, Columbus wasn't even really the first Westerner to land in the Americas; that would have been the Vikings some 500 years earlier when they made their way over from Greenland.
U. S. Middle East Foreign Policy Be Like:
It doesn't matter where you're from; you have to agree that this meme pretty much sums up America's history in the Middle East. Most recently, it sums up the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, you could go even further back in time, and this would still apply. For example, propping up Iran's former ruling family, arming the Taliban, and pursuing the control of Saudi oil, all of which didn't end so well.
Honestly, you could probably point to either U.S. or British historical intervention in the region and make an argument that it caused many of the problems the Middle East is still dealing with today.
Lace Up Them Boots Boy, You're Going To War
The Vietnam War was not a very popular conflict. There were rallies, protests, and civil disorder because of it all throughout the 1960s and into the 1970s. Because of this, the military had to institute conscription, which was even more unpopular. Americans saw the casualty numbers for a war they already thought was pointless, and many tried to dodge the draft. However, most were unsuccessful and ended up being sent off to the war.
You could, if you're grades were good enough and you had enough money, enroll in college and get a deferment, meaning that it was all the more important to do well in school.
Some Things Never Change
Every large empire has had to deal with a force employing guerilla warfare at some point in time. And while Americans are pretty proud that their ragtag army managed to hold out against the British Empire during the American Revolution, they don't often think of the Vietnam War in a similar context. Militarily, the two conflicts were remarkably similar, as this meme shows, and there might've been a pretty logical reason for that.
It turned out that Ho Chi Minh, the former prime minister of North Vietnam, was a pretty big U.S. history buff, and he even expressed his admiration for some of what was in the U.S. Constitution. So, it's not a stretch to think that the American Revolution also provided some military inspiration.
Another Funny Moment Brought To You By The Cold War
The Cold War was filled with a lot of tense moments. We mean, civilization literally almost came to an end and arguably would've if it wasn't for the actions of one Russian submariner. However, it was also filled with a lot of quirky and humorous moments that only that era could've produced. For example, when the Soviet Union asked to join the NATO alliance, which was formed to counter it.
The Soviets never actually thought that NATO would let them join, but they asked anyway in order to prove that the alliance had been formed in opposition to them.
The Cold War In A Nutshell
Who would've thought that Borat would make for such great meme material? This scene from the movie sums up the Cold War in its entirety, and it goes through each of the major phases of the conflict. However, we will say that the U.S. Civil War took place way before Russia fought a civil war. But besides that, everything else is pretty much spot on. It also shows how pointless the Cold War was.
The main difference between the two powers was ideological, which is no reason to put the world on alert and get as close as they did to mutual annihilation.
What Could Possibly Make More Sense Than Measuring Using Feet?
The U.S. gets a lot of flack for many things, but one of the most consistent is its use of the imperial system for measurements. While most other countries throughout the world switched to the metric system a long time ago, America has stuck to its guns. We're not exactly sure why that is, maybe it's because America doesn't like change, but either way, this meme sums it all up perfectly.
We could totally imagine America being Smeagle in this scene from The Lord of The Rings and acting disgusted when it found out about the metric system and all it entails.
Guys, We Need To Talk
America likes to call itself a melting pot, but we've never quite thought about it in the terms that this meme puts it. Still, it's honestly a funny take. It's also one of the best things about the country. You could go to a small town in the middle of nowhere and meet someone that immigrated there from just about anywhere in the world. And while a ton of countries could say the same, it's usually not to the same degree.
While immigration numbers to the U.S. have fluctuated in the past half a decade, depending on what metric you use, the country still hosts more immigrants than any other in the world.
'We Didn't Mean That Kind Of Democracy'
While the U.S. has more recently been associated with regime changes in other parts of the world, it still has a pretty dark history of interfering in South America. There were more than a couple cases of people there electing their leaders, only for those leaders to advocate for economic independence and then get overthrown by the CIA. That's pretty much what this meme is referencing, and it's not wrong.
The worst part is that this history isn't talked about very much in the U.S., and it would go a long way in helping people understand why the region isn't buddy-buddy with their neighbor up north.
By Any Means Necessary
Firstly, if you've never seen a movie or show involving Peacemaker, go check them out; they're hilarious. Secondly, this meme is pretty accurate. The history of U.S. foreign interventions is one littered with examples of the country turning things upside down in order to achieve peace and freedom. Don't get us wrong that goes for just about any country, but over the last couple of decades, the U.S. certainly has caused a mess in the Middle East.
There was also the Vietnam War, in which numerous massacres were committed, and civilians were killed by friendly fire. America's case for getting involved in the war was also suspect at best.
Nothing To See Here Folks
It's no secret that the United States was formed at the expense of entire peoples who were already living in North America when colonists first settled. And while more people have tried to shed light on this history as of late, there's still a lot that the U.S. can do to try and right the wrongs inflicted on Native Americans. While this meme is deservingly poking fun at countries with similar histories, we could probably think of a couple more that could join Australia and Canada.
For example, just about any country in modern-day South America or European countries that had a history of colonization. (Yeah, we're looking at you, Belgium, and France.)
Just A Small Neighborly Feud
Most Americans can admit that the U.S. has lost a couple of wars in Vietnam and now Afghanistan. However, rarely does anyone talk about a little thing called the War of 1812, which saw the British invade what's now Canada. During that war, they ended up burning down the original White House. Even to this day, a lot of scholars mostly agree that both countries somewhat achieved their aims.
Still, if you're in the U.S., it's hard to see your presidential home burned to the ground and still call that a resounding victory, which is why we love this meme and think it's hilarious.
When France Got The Last Laugh
Pretty much every American knows about how the country was defeated in Vietnam, but not many know about the history of the conflict before the U.S. got involved. At the time, Vietnam was actually a French colony, and France was fighting the Vietnamese to keep it that way. They only left after assurances from the U.S. that they would take over and get involved to stop the spread of communism.
We're sure there were plenty of people in Washington wondering how the French could lose a war to the Vietnamese, but they probably never imagined the same would happen to the U.S.
If You Need A Reason To Believe In Conspiracies:
Former President John F. Kennedy was just getting started when he was assassinated in 1963. He was in the middle of running for his second term, which is usually when presidents feel a bit more unrestrained and try to get more done since they don't have to worry about votes anymore. As this meme points out, he probably would've done some things that would've riled a lot of people higher up.
We're not saying you should believe in conspiracy theories; you definitely shouldn't. However, looking at this meme, it's easy to understand why some people see them as perfectly viable.
'Do You See What I See? '
It takes someone like Walt Disney to look at a swamp in Florida filled with alligators and poisonous snakes and see a theme park. That's what he saw in the 1950s, and we have to give it to him; he was right. Today, it's probably the most iconic theme park in the world, whereas back then, it was considered nearly unusable land. He also didn't pay a low price for it back then.
However, we're sure that the company has made back the price they paid for the land more than tenfold, as the prices of tickets do nothing but go up every year.
'Why Can't You Make Democracy Like Us? '
This meme makes fun of American democracy while also referencing America's role in picking and choosing leaders in South America. We're sure that the table that was used to talk about overthrowing South American democracies wasn't quite as Illuminati-ish as the one pictured in this meme, but we're also pretty sure that there was a table involved. The top photo also perfectly depicts the last election in the U.S.
Sadly this meme depicts a couple of more issues that people could stand to learn a bit more about, especially the bottom portion and America's role in Latin America.
Why Is This So Contentious In The U. S.?
When it comes to some things (not all things), the Europeans really have the right idea. For example, you won't find people arguing about how past rulers were racist in Europe. It's simply a fact, and most people there agree to it the same way the two guys on the bottom part of this meme do. However, for whatever reason, that doesn't happen in quite the same way in America.
Instead, what you usually get are two people screaming at each other like they're arguing while all they're doing is actually agreeing with each other and not even noticing it.
'Really Guys? We Just Went Through This'
Unfortunately, the end of the Civil War didn't mean the end of racism in the U.S. Instead, it just meant the start of the Lost Cause movement in the South and a rewriting of what really happened. After the Civil War, Ulysses S. Grant, the northern general responsible for winning the war, a lot of focus was put on Grant's alcoholism and not his military skill or the fact he beat the Confederacy.
While it's true that he was an alcoholic, he was a functioning alcoholic who should be remembered for more than that. In fact, when former president Lincoln was advised to get rid of him because of his drinking, he replied, "I don't care if he's an alcoholic, frankly, get me six or seven just like him," according to the Washington Post.
The Myth, The Man, The Legend
There aren't very many presidents in history that are associated with as many extraordinary acts and legends as Theodore Roosevelt. The guy has so many feats attributed to him that he's basically an American folk hero at this point. For example, teddy bears get their name from none other than "Teddy" Roosevelt. He once refused to shoot a black bear that was tied to a tree, and after hearing the story, a toymaker made a stuffed bear, and so the teddy bear was born.
In addition, he was called the "first cowboy president," helped establish national parks as a thing, broke up monopolies, was the youngest president ever elected, and is regarded as having reshaped the office of the president.
It's All In The Name
When it comes to advertising, visuals often trump substance. That might be why Americans fell for McDonald's quarter-pounder burger when it once had a rival burger that used a third of a pound of beef. It just sounds so much nicer to say "quarter pounder" than it does to say "a third pounder." You have to give it to whoever at McDonald's marketing team came up with that one because it was genius.
There's also the fact that many Americans thought a third of a pound was less than a quarter pounder, so they opted for McDonald's burger over its rival. That's what focus groups found after the burger's failure.
'What Do You Mean, You Know? '
One of the most prevailing conspiracy theories out there is that former President John F. Kennedy was killed by his own government. You seemingly don't even have to be big into conspiracy theories to think that's the case. This meme is referencing just that, as it shows either a CIA officer or a member of the Secret Service informed Russia that it already knows they're not responsible for the assassination.
In fact, the Soviet Union was caught off guard by the assignation and even sought to make sure people knew it wasn't involved. They were also worried that it might've been part of a coup attempt, according to NPR.
That's No Talking Tree Pippen
If you've ever studied the Vietnam War, then you know that the Vietcong used guerilla tactics all throughout the war. This meant that they would attack in small groups, using the dense forest and terrain to their advantage. It was such an issue that America actually made bombs and chemicals that targeted the vegetation in the country, including napalm and agent orange. The latter was responsible for a lot of civilian and military deaths on both sides decades after the war ended.
So, American soldiers were probably thinking something similar to what Pippen is saying in this meme every time they heard a bush move or voices coming from the trees.