THERE IS NO POINT TO HISTORY. OR IS THERE?

1
THERE IS NO POINT TO HISTORY. OR IS THERE?
The Role of Morality and Choice in Historical
Events
2

• A MAN ROBS A BANK, AND HIDES THE MONEY. HE USES
  THE MONEY TO SUPPORT HIS FAMILY. FIVE YEARS
  AFTER THE ROBBERY, THE MAN DIES, AND LEAVES ALL
  OF THE MONEY TO HIS SON. A YEAR LATER, THE
  POLICE FINALLY SOLVE THE CRIME AND CONFRONT THE
  SON OF THE ORIGINAL CRIMINAL.
• WHAT SHOULD BE DONE WITH THE REMAINING MONEY?

3

• IN 1989, THE U.S. MISSILE CRUISER VINCENNES WAS
  ON PATROL IN THE PERSIAN GULF. IT RECEIVED A
  RADAR WARNING ABOUT AN INCOMING PLANE, AND THE
  CREW IDENTIFIED THE TARGET AS AN IRANIAN FIGHTER.
  THEY ISSUED A WARNING TO BREAK OFF, AND WHEN THE
  TARGET DID NOT, THEY LAUNCHED A MISSILE THAT
  DESTROYED THE PLANE.
• LATER, THE VINCENNES DISCOVERED THAT THEY HAD
  ACCIDENTALLY SHOT DOWN A CIVILIAN AIRLINER WITH
  290 PEOPLE ON BOARD.
• THE NEXT YEAR, SEVERAL FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS
  TRIED TO SUE THE U.S. NAVY IN AN AMERICAN COURT.
  SHOULD THE NAVY HAVE TO PAY THE VICTIMS
  FAMILIES, OR BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IN ANY WAY?

4
IN 1941, JAPAN ATTACKED THE U.S. AT PEARL HARBOR.
SHORTLY AFTER, THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA ISSUES
AN ORDER THAT ALL JAPANESE-AMERICANS (CITIZENS OF
THE UNITED STATES OF JAPANESE HERITAGE) MUST
REPORT TO INTERNMENT CAMPS, SINCE THEY ARE
THREATS TO NATIONAL SECURITY. 150,000 AMERICAN
CITIZENS ARE FORCED TO GIVE UP THEIR JOBS AND
HOMES AND LIVE IN PRISON CAMPS FOR THREE YEARS.
30 YEARS LATER, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT APOLOGIZES
TO SURVIVING JAPANESE-AMERICANS AND PAYS THEM A
SETTLEMENT. SHOULD THIS HAVE BEEN DONE?
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• FOR ALMOST TWO HUNDRED YEARS, AFRICANS WERE
  ENSLAVED IN AMERICA. IN 1865, THE CIVIL WAR
  ENDED AND ALL SLAVES IN THE U.S. WERE FREED.
  TODAY, THE EFFECTS OF SLAVERY ARE STILL BEING
  FELT AFRICAN-AMERICANS MAKES ABOUT 7,000 LESS
  PER YEAR THAN WHITE AMERICANS. SHOULD THE U.S.
• GOVERNMENT OFFER ANY SETTLEMENT TO DESCENDANTS OF
  SLAVES AS COMPENSATION?

6

• IN 1492, COLUMBUS BROUGHT NEWS OF THE NEW WORLD
  BACK TO EUROPE. OVER THE NEXT FOUR HUNDRED YEARS,
  THE NATIVE AMERICAN POPULATION WAS SYSTEMATICALLY
  EXTERMINATED THROUGH WAR AND DISEASE. TODAY,
  THERE IS ONLY A TINY FRACTION OF NATIVE AMERICANS
  LEFT.
• SHOULD THE UNITED STATES OFFER AN OFFICIAL
  APOLOGY FOR WHAT WAS DONE DURING THE COLONIZATION
  OF THE NEW WORLD?