Dead white men

I have now read through the American Heritage series of books on American presidents leading up to Lincoln, having skipped from Washington to Van Buren.  No amount of pleading with Graham could convince him that we should at least read about Jefferson and Jackson, who were pretty pivotal figures.  Instead, I have been feasted on Tyler, William Henry Harrison, Fillmore, Pierce, Polk, Taylor, Buchanan, and perhaps another. It is  astonishing how much time and energy was wasted in this country dicking around with slavery, bending over backwards with stupid arguments about how it was OK.  Indeed, all told it's striking how long have been the lulls between America being on the right side of history.  After Jefferson, it's largely downhill to Lincoln, after which there's a lull till we get Teddy Roosevelt and Wilson.  All told for the land of Manifest Destiny, our track record has been pretty poor.