An Australian looks at the U.S. Semiquincentennial (250 years)

NSW HUMANISTS MEETUP's afternoon talk for Sunday 12 July 2026 3-5PM at Humanist House in Chippendale will be John August presenting an Australian look at the U.S. Semiquincentennial, and the 250 years of American history that it signifies.

John August is a Vice President of the NSW Humanist Society and has taken an interest in US history. John will look at some of the ideas involved in the founding of the USA, and why the 250 years since has taken the course it has.

John plans to show both good and bad in this history, and contrast the issues that mattered in federating Australia.

The US was influenced by "social contract theory", under which Government is invariably a trade off with costs and values among various stakeholders. The influence of religious dissidents from Europe mixed with ideas about individualism and challenges to the divine right of Kings.

Meanwhile in Australia, the goals were simpler, looking to make governing "better" on a more practical basis.

The US is in its own way a particular combination of good and bad - there were innovative ideas and sources of innovation and power that grew up in the US, as compared to the ideas which developed in the UK and Europe. Equally, there were injustices that also seem to be uniquely American.

There's obviously far too much to cover in one talk, but John will look at his own particular potted history and aspects of both distant and recent US history, and how he finds them interesting.

There will of course be a lively Q&A following John's talk.

NSW Humanist Meetup is sponsored by the Humanist Society of NSW.
The views of invited speakers are not necessarily held by the HSNSW.
The HSNSW encourages honest, open conversations held in a respectful manner.

ABOUT HUMANISM
Humanism is a flexible, open-minded life philosophy where we explore our common humanity in an awesome world without theism (religion) and other supernatural beliefs. There is no dogma but a shared reality and an appreciation of basic human values like compassion, reason, and fairness. Humanism can be seen in the best aspects of the modern Enlightenment - secularism, science, social democracy, human rights, and human flourishing. We have a concern for the biosphere, and a delight in the world as it is - and as it could be. Our discussions respect reason, respect one another, and reject all dogmatic thinking.