Representative Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) is in the spotlight once again, this time for a history blunder that has left many questioning his grasp on basic historical facts.
History blunder
During a recent public appearance, McCarthy boldly declared, “In every single war that America has fought, we have never asked for land afterward.”
A quick fact-check reveals that this assertion is far from accurate. Social media users promptly added a community note to McCarthy’s post, highlighting instances where the United States did acquire land after victorious conflicts.
Land acquisition
One example was the Mexican-American War (1848) which saw the U.S. annexing a substantial portion of the Southwest, encompassing present-day states like Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, California (including McCarthy’s own district), and portions of Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming.
Users on social media pointed out other instances where the U.S. expanded its territories after conflicts, such as gaining control of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines after the Spanish-American War of 1898. The acquisition of American Samoa following the Second Samoan Civil War in 1899 was also highlighted.
Critics and commentators have also drawn attention to the United States’ policies in the 19th century and the acquisition of land after the Revolutionary War, where Britain ceded significant territory, including parts of the Mississippi River and Upper Midwest.
Meanwhile, George Conway, a prominent lawyer, quipped about McCarthy’s California origins, stating, “Think of all the wisdom from this man we’d be deprived of if his home state of California had never spontaneously risen from the sea and attached itself to the United States.”
Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s stumble not only invites meticulous scrutiny but also underscores the importance of comprehensive knowledge of history for those shaping the nation’s future. After all, it’s often said that those who neglect history may find themselves destined to relive it.
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