Mental Illness In America Essay
The collective narrative of the United States, albeit still being written, is at the very least fascinating. Nowhere in the history of humanity is there another example of a nation being born purely out of ideology and belief. Margaret Thatcher iconically conveyed this reality by stating “Europe was created by history. America was created by philosophy.” Viewing the United States from this perspective is not done often, but its experimental nature is undeniable after being careful considered. There are many things that could have prevented America from becoming the global superpower that it is today, and when contemplating these possible deterrents, the persistent good fortune of America is clear.
In 1776, America was catastrophically unprepared …show more content…
It is well documented that King George III of England, the reigning British monarch during the American Revolution, struggled with mental illness throughout the course of his life. Many possible explanations for the royal’s mental health challenges have been proposed over the years, including the fact that he suffered from the hereditary disease porphyria. This affliction is one that has been proven to have been passed down through England’s royal family for many generations. A major symptom of porphyria is the development of insanity during the advanced years of the victim’s life. It has also been proposed, and supported by scientific testing on samples of the king’s hair, that the king was unknowingly subjecting himself to arsenic poisoning via food contamination. Regardless of the cause, George III’s mental stability must be called into question. While the potential for the king to have been mentally compromised in 1776, and throughout the course of the war can never be proven, it is also important to point out that it is equally impossible to prove that King George was not mentally ill during this time. Therefore, it would be irresponsible to conclude that the monarch’s struggle with mental illness may not have played a part in how the American Revolutionary War turned
In 1776, America was catastrophically unprepared …show more content…
It is well documented that King George III of England, the reigning British monarch during the American Revolution, struggled with mental illness throughout the course of his life. Many possible explanations for the royal’s mental health challenges have been proposed over the years, including the fact that he suffered from the hereditary disease porphyria. This affliction is one that has been proven to have been passed down through England’s royal family for many generations. A major symptom of porphyria is the development of insanity during the advanced years of the victim’s life. It has also been proposed, and supported by scientific testing on samples of the king’s hair, that the king was unknowingly subjecting himself to arsenic poisoning via food contamination. Regardless of the cause, George III’s mental stability must be called into question. While the potential for the king to have been mentally compromised in 1776, and throughout the course of the war can never be proven, it is also important to point out that it is equally impossible to prove that King George was not mentally ill during this time. Therefore, it would be irresponsible to conclude that the monarch’s struggle with mental illness may not have played a part in how the American Revolutionary War turned