What was the biggest danger America has ever faced?

[mosch]

Pat Robertson recently stated that the threat from liberal judges is more serious than a few beared terrorists who fly into buildings, Al Qaeda, Nazi Germany, Japan and more serious than the civil war.

What do you think the biggest danger America has faced in her 400 year history?

[Zeno]

The biggest dangers that all countries and/or societies face are the forces of irrationality, mainly because they are so prevalent and pernicious.

Le Misanthrope

[wacki]

[ QUOTE ]
The biggest dangers that all countries and/or societies face are the forces of irrationality, mainly because they are so prevalent and pernicious.

Le Misanthrope

[/ QUOTE ]

anathema paucity pernicious ballyhoo...

Don't ever stop using words like this, or speaking the truth.

[Matty]

I think the U.S. (North) would be better of now if we had lost the Civil War.

It was a close decision for me between The Depression and terrorism, but frankly I'm amazed I was the first person to vote terrorism. Maybe I'm the only one voting who gets out of the country much, but it is amazing how much influence we've lost in the last 4 years. I tutor S. Korean students and they've gone from being our biggest fanbois (literally) to being very bitter (and these are the ones who came here to study).

Terrorism shouldn't be our greatest threat, but I think the repercussions of 9/11 and our overreaction to it are far from over.

[Cyrus]

[ QUOTE ]
What do you think the biggest danger America has faced in her 400-year history?

[/ QUOTE ]

(The figure is correct only if you take into account the British colonies of America - but then your question becomes nonsennsical. Better start from independence onwards.)

The question is probably this : Which threat had the most potential to have the history of the United States severely affected, to the extent that the United States would not be a superpower or even not exist?

I vote for the Civil War in this highly hypothetical questionnaire.

The other threats were never life-threatening. Communist USSR (which I believe you mean when you say "communism") was never after the destruction of the US, IMO, posturing aside. The other threats, although grave, could have been and were adequately handled. In fact, the US came out stronger after its confrontation with them, eg Japan, Nazism.

But the Civil War was a real threat to have two "United States"! Antagonism for the western hemisphere would have certainly ensued, possibly some wars in between, until an accomodation in the 20th century. Overall, a focus on yer "strong neighbor", distracting from global politics. No superpower like today's kind.

...That took out about a year's quota of speculation!

[Chris Alger]

The greatest threat to the U.S. since about 1815 remains the U.S., iteself something of a reincarnation after the suicide of 1860-65. A British MP was quoted to the effect that Bush was like a child running around with a hand grenade. Much of this applies to the country as a whole. If there were a contest among rich countries that could provide a weighted average of fear, hatred, antipathy to democratic ideals and a willingness to use military force, the U.S. would leave everyone in the dust. This is hardly a healthy prognosis for the political jewel of the Enlightenment, and terribly sad.

[lehighguy]

You really think we'd be better of losing the civil war. I think your a bit crazy dude.

[sisyphus]

Americans.

[ACPlayer]

The biggest threat currently to America is the Bush Administrations threats to unravelling the principles of Liberty -- the Patriot Acts -- and the Christianizing of our Politics.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

In 1876 Tilden apparently had defeated Hayes for the presidency. According to accounts, Hayes co-opted the Florida electors who switched their votes to Hayes, thus denying Tilden the White House. Tilden had many friends in the military who suggested that they could right this wrong on Innauguration day by marching on the capial and deposing Hayes, installing Tilden to his rightful office. Tilden reprtedly declined, citing that there would be another election in 4 years.

Were his decision different, who knows where we'd be. Once you have one coup d'etat, others come more easily.