Hi Friend,

One of the (many) great questions that came up in last Tuesday's  Fourth of July webinar ,Getting Real about the Roots of Democracy, where I was so delighted to be joined by Dr. Monty Hill and Kristine Hill, was: How did the Doctrine of Discovery influence the shape of democracy, especially around property? 

This is a question that has global implications, as democracy, especially as practiced in the United States, tends to be held up as a kind of international ideal and gold standard for governance.   It’s a question that we get into in the ReMembering Course, which incorporates understanding the institutional systems that shape our lives as well as personal and spiritual/religious dynamics. 

The short answer is: the doctrine of discovery absolutely shaped the foundation of the United States and its form of government… especially in how the government saw (ie, the cosmovision/worldview influencing the institution, not just the individuals) its relationship to land (as property) and to non-white men (less than fully human and often some form property).   Thomas Jefferson’s 1783 trip to Paris, during George Washington’s first presidency, played a key role in the development of the Treaty of Paris, which agreed that America was a sovereign nation taking over the lands of Britain… which were recognized (by European nation, not by any indigenous sovereign nation) due to the Doctrine of Discovery. “Discovery” is explicitly mentioned in this treaty. 

Our conversation made me think it might be useful to have a map of some of the key moments of the Doctrine of Discovery and its influence on the questions of law, order, and governance… which is always a question of how we relate to earth/land/seas and to one another. These are spiritual/theological questions, as well as legal/political questions.  It influences us in so many ways. 

I'm curious if you find this infographic (below) helpful. It is still very much in draft form, but I thought that something other than a linear timeline, something that hints at spatial dynamics, might be helpful. Red text indicates Papal Bulls; blue text indicates a few moments when those Bulls become embedded in legal systems; green text indicates moments when indigenous relations enable something fully different to occur.