Is it true that American schools don't teach world history?
So you had an experience with one person and jump to a conclusion about a country of 350 million? That’s some sound reasoning.Yes, Americans learn world history. We generally start with social studies, which can also be called civics or “a very superficial overview of our own history and government while touching on global geography”.When we get into late elementary and middle school (so from around ages 9–13), we learn more in depth about our history plus we start touching on major historical global events. I do remember that my 6th grade (10 years old, I think?) history text book had a 10 page chapter entitled “The World Wars”. That’s pretty embarrassing.In high school is when you start branching out. You’ll start studying European History and a bit of South American, Asian and African history as well, although there’s not as much Asia and Africa being taught as I think there should be. Some students are able to take classes specifically on the history of one continent or one region.American students are still, of course, expected to have a better grasp on their own history than on that of other countries, so most of us will be more well versed in, say, America’s participation in WW2 than we will be in the October Revolution. Sadly, the history of the rest of the world is still a big blank spot for most American students.Lest you think this is just an American problem, in my years living abroad I’ve noticed that European students are pretty knowledgable about European history, have a limited understanding about American history, and know almost nothing about Asia, Africa, and South America.So yes, obviously Americans learn global history. Can each individual American remember specifics of one particular event from your particular country years after leaving school? That’s a different question. The world’s a big place.
Why do so many high school and college students hate history?
Three reasons: 1) Many History Teachers make it about dates and not about people and events. It is so much more important to know about the Man Columbus then to know he first got here in 1492 2) We do nothing in schools to tie History to other topics. For example would not the History of the Industrial Revolution in England and reading Dickens be so much more interesting if students were told that Dickens wrote in that time period and that he was writing as a reaction to his own Father's life as a debtor in debtors prison? 3) We teach Myths not facts. We all think that Paul Revere warned that "The British were coming" Why the heck would he say that. He thought of himself as British and The British army was already here. So instead of teaching the Facts we teach myths. How many students think Lincoln Freed the slaves? Lincoln never freed a salve. The Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in states in rebellion in other words areas that Lincoln had no legal authority over. If we cut out the myths History would be more interesting
In your opinion, how should history be taught in schools to booster interest in the subject itself?
I notice that most people come out of high school and middle school history being turned off by the subject itself, myself included. However, I got my college degree in history so something must've sparked my interested well enough to study it on the undergraduate level (what got me interested was visiting the museum of San Diego history, which is where I live). However, elementary school and middle school history was incredibly boring to me and I'm not sure if it's the way it's taught or not. I've talked to a number of people who hated history because of the way it was presented in school (i.e. memorizing dates, etc). The difference between the way history is taught in school, both primary and secondary and the way it is taught at the university level is clear. So how can the education system improve the teaching of history? Has it improved in the last 15 years or so? Are textbooks still just as vague as they were back in the early 90s when I was in school?
Do colleges teach kids that white people are evil & racist or something?
based on my experience, many of them are hostile towards whites before theyve even done anything wrong. the reason im asking is because my mom who owns rental units was renting to this family & was discussing the history of the US & she made a positive comment about the founding fathers & the construction of the constitution & this kids goes.... "oh yeah & they were also a bunch of racists & slave owners " real snide like. im thinking, wth does that even have to do with what we were discussing? i would just chalk that up as a one off. but, ive seen similar behavior multiple times from a wide range of people & places.
Should USA high schools teach Canadian history?
Grand idea! But I do worry about the delicate egos of 300M plus Americans having to learn things like they lost the War of 1812-14. Mind you the plus of them being a big part of the downfall of the Fenian Raids might offset that. :o) The entire course of WWII will need to be rewritten - a humongous job. I can see Americans marching on Washington when they are required to learn that they did not win the War all by themselves and in fact did not fight in it until the last few years. But perhaps the sting of that can be somewhat alleviated by learning that Roosevelt and company DID help out - sometimes secretly, sometimes not so secretly. You would have to learn about a man the Brits call "A Man Called Intrepid". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Stephenson He worked closely with the British and with the Americans (especially in the secret part of the war that involved Americans). He is one of Canada's heroes, he is one of Britiain's heroes, he is one of Europe's heroes and is certainly a hero of mine. Most Americans never heard of him. Most Canadians with an interest in WWII know about "Wild Bill Donovan" though. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Joseph_Donovan Oh! There is a ton of stuff. There are side effects to learning about others too. With WWII, you could learn WHY Canadians are so well received in Europe when they travel even now 60 plus years after the war. And why Americans are not. It is easy enough to fix but would take time. It starts with acknowledging others who also put their lives on the line for a principle. And a lot of people did. In fact, a lot of American woes could be put to sleep by envisioning the world as a place that goes beyond your own borders, by envisioning people as people beyond their colour or religion. Become a tad more circumspect in all things. My Canadian world starts at my door and branches off in all directions. My American neighbours live in a world that starts at their door and stops at their door. Knowledge is a wonderful thing. Go for it, Eric!
Teachers why don't you give us multiple choice test?
okay, i'm going to go on an assumption here. if i'm wrong, correct me at your convenience: you're attending a community or junior college. that's not "real" college or a real institution of higher learning to most people who are serious about academics. your high school teachers are trying to prepare you for the four year colleges and universities. if you go to a two year school first, that's fine. however a quality teacher should never set you up for the bare minimum. so, if your teacher is preparing you for the more demanding colleges, and you're starting off in the community colleges and schools, this probably explains the mixed signals you're getting. oh, by the way, i'm not knocking community colleges (i go to one as a matter of fact), i'm just explaining the difference in what they offer on the academic level. so hopefully, no offense was taken by my answer.