Author McCullough puts history in perspective

While David McCullough has spent a lifetime poring over books and seeing for himself where those who shaped the nation have been, at the heart of his quest has been putting into perspective the history of the fledgling United States of America.

Addressing the Distinguished Speaker Series audience at the Fred Kavli Theatre of the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza on Monday evening, he said everyone is the product of all who have contributed to their life and that this a lesson of history that everyone should learn.

McCullough, who will be 70 on July 7 this year, is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of two books, "Truman" in 1993 and "John Adams" in 2002, in addition writing "The Johnstown Flood," "The Great Bridge," "The Path Between Seas," "Mornings on Horseback" and "Brave Companions."

Also, he has served as a narrator of documentaries, including "The Civil War" and "Napoleon," and has hosted on the public broadcast system TV series of "Smithsonian World" and "The American Experience."

"There’s no such thing as a self-made man," he said. "There have been people along the way who have helped" shape everyone. "We should take time and think about them."

As an illustration, McCullough—an avid reader, traveler and landscape painter who lives in West Tisbury, Mass. with his wife Rosalee Barnes McCullough—said that it’s not unusual for people to quote others to make their points. "We go around quoting people, (but) sometimes we don’t know who we are quoting."

John Adams often quoted Alexander Pope, Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote, McCullough said.. "John Adams quotes them with or without quotation marks," he added.

As the nation was being shaped, he said, "You could spell any way you wanted. That language, the enlightenment, gave them their genius. If not well written, they would not have reached the potency they have today."

Throughout his presentation, McCullough delved into the past to illustrate how those who came before have influenced contemporary decisions.

The early days of U.S. history were a much more difficult time, he said, noting the major inconveniences, distressing experiences and epidemic diseases such as smallpox that could kill or disfigure dozens if not hundreds in a town.

"They reach out to us as those people from the past, but they did not live in the past. They lived in the present, their present," he said, adding that they (like those in the audience) couldn’t predict the future.

"We know (today) they were going to establish a new republic," McCullough said. "They were up against the British. The Revolution leaders were young and had no experience in nation making."

McCullough said that those who fought through the Revolution had no munitions, powder, no trained officers, no money and only one-third favored the Revolution, one-third were for the Tories and one-third were waiting to see how it would come out. He said the public’s attitude was the same then regarding events (as it often is today).

In addition to the Revolution, a war that lasted eight and one-half years, the nation survived the Civil War, two world wars, Viet Nam and is recovering from the events of the Sept. 11, 2002 attacks.

"We are all the progeny of the people who came through it and we and the country are better off," the speaker said. "We underestimate the ability to work together."

McCullough said the greatest resource of people is within themselves. It’s between the ears and the back of the eyes, and it’s the person’s ability to "draw upon the example of those who went before us."