[kaycebasques]

If there's any one here that's well-versed in USA history and this episode of Cromwell history, can you give me an example of an event in American history that's similarly controversial along the lines of what I'm seeing in this HN discussion? I know that there will be no perfect comparison but I sense that there is some historical event with a similar sort of political charge and ambiguity.

[pjc50]

Bit of an odd place to ask .. surely most of American history has politically charged ambiguity to it? The least controversial bits are the two world wars and the War of Independence itself. Everything beyond that is up for grabs, in the colonialism vs. post-colonialism struggle.

The civil war is the main contended issue, right up to the present day. To a much greater extent than it is in the UK outside of the few areas of sectarian Catholic/Protestant fighting (mostly Northern Ireland, Glasgow). Even there the central figure is more likely to be William of Orange (a few decades later) than Cromwell.

[joveian]

I agree most of American history is charged and comparing civil wars makes sense, but I would add that much of the US government interaction with the first nations seems generally comparable as well. The history of Oklahoma, boarding schools, allotment, and the recent pipeline protests are four particular areas (there are many others) that are very charged today.

Looking at it a bit differently, Texas history, where a bunch of ranchers decided on their own to expand the US, could be comparable as well and is still charged today.