Michael’s Reviews > Anti-Intellectualism in American Life > Status Update

Religion in the United States started with a schism that rejected leadership and diluted itself to convert others out of practicality. This practicality combined well with the early American businessman who saw himself as "self made" and not in need of a formal education which was viewed as lacking monetary or technical value. These two factors all but guaranteed most Americans would view art/intellect as useless.

Intellectuals were ousted from Presidential politics for nearly 70 years, and were sidelined altogether after the civil war (in part because of their support for abolition). Their only major victory? Civil service reform. Their revenge? Teddy Roosevelt.

"If we have to give up religion or education, we should give up education." - William Jennings Bryan (former presidential candidate of the early 20th century). The schism of the 1600s between Purtians who supported scholarship, vs evangelicals who snubbed their noses at any form of secular learning growing ever more militant, and dangerous by the time of the scopes monkey trial (of which Bryan prosecuted).