By Marilyn May
Milford History
We just wrapped the city in bunting, cheered louder than Knicks fans and lit up the sky with fireworks. But as a country that’s only 250 years old, this nation that started with 13 colonies is still just an infant.
The indigenous Americans (or what the Canadians call First Nations people) lived right here for 10,000 years on the land we call Milford. (Now that would warrant quite a parade.) But most of those people are gone.
We are just at the beginning. What paths will we take? It behooves us to ponder why many of the greatest ancient civilizations failed so completely that we have barely heard of some of them.
Throughout history mankind seems to have had an insatiable thirst for more of everything. More land, especially if it belonged to someone else. More forest clearing that decimated environments. More scarring of the earth to mine minerals for stronger weapons. These practices were fatal tipping points for some ancient civilizations that did not adapt to change.
So many factors eroded civilizations: fragmented central governments, warfare, disease and fluctuations in the Earth’s weather resulting in droughts and diminished potable water supplies. Many empires had prosperous cities with millions of people over large land areas. They had sophisticated agricultural and irrigation systems. They had profitable trade routes, built massive monuments and encouraged crafts that fashioned pottery and metal tools that still fascinate us today.
Laws anchor civilizations. In 1754 BCE, the King of Babylonia gave the world the Code of Hammurabi, one of the earliest written documents with 262 laws. He disseminated the laws so that the people would know them.
The Magna Carta (Great Charter) written in 1215 in England by King John contained 63 rules with some interesting statements, such as that the king was subject to the law and not above it, and justice should not be sold, denied or delayed.
Let’s get back to what we have in 2026 and the reasons this country could live far longer than Methuselah of the Hebrew scriptures, if we learn from the past.
We have many documents to guide us for many centuries to come, but we must read them and follow them. We have the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and the US Constitution. For most of us it’s been a long time since we have read these, if we ever have. Unlike some ancient writings, these were written “by the people.” So it’s up to the people to know what has shaped this nation, and we must see that laws are equitably administered. Each individual carries the responsibility to ensure that. Having a democracy takes work.
I wonder what the 500th commemoration of the US will look like. Today we cheer and feast. We update laws that need changing, amend the Constitution to adapt to ever-changing times, listen to concerts of patriotic music, salute our military, parade around the city, visit historic sites, and celebrate the Fourth of July like never before.
Our story will be written in the centuries to come. We are just at the beginning.
Marilyn May is a lifelong resident of Milford and is on the board of the Milford Historical Society.