Debunking the “One Nation” Myth: Thoughts from Maharry Head

By: Mike Maharrey

Most Americans think July 4, 1776, birthed a “nation.” It didn’t. It actually birthed 13 independent nations that soon formed a union. The notion that Independence Day birthed a nation is part of a broader “one nation” myth advanced by the likes of Joseph Story and Abraham Lincoln, and perpetuated by the Pledge of Allegiance.

In this episode of Thoughts from Maharrey Head, I take apart the “one nation” myth starting with the Declaration of Independence and then moving forward to the ratification of the Constitution. Along the way, I answer the key question – where does sovereignty lie in the American political system?