Gripe about US history myths taught early on

[Anonymous]

I had an elementary school teacher tell us that the United States has never lost a war.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not OP but the cherry tree story was made up:
http://edit.mountvernon.org/research-collections/digital-encyclopedia/article/parson-weems/

But was your faith in humanity crushed when you learned it was a fable?

No. In fact I was more intrigued, and sought to understand more about why such stories were created -- what was it trying to convey. Just like art and music such stories sometimes are meant to move people to feel a certain way. You may not always agree with the message but it is interesting. History picks certain things to remember to convey what a group thinks is important (yes, myths are sometime created). But people do this all the time -- think of people's resumes. People include only what they feel is relevant to a potential employer and there is always more to their experience than what is conveyed on the resume.

[Anonymous]

I'd also like to add that history is given in chunks and it is up to the individual to continue learning and understand things. Another example is teaching kids about sex. Do you teach your kid all the intricacies of baby making or do you start with something simple like babies are made when two people live each other? Do you tell them this as well as about IVF and how two same sex people live each other and have a child?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The one that bothers me is that Rosa Parks sat down because she was old and tired. Actually she was young, and part of an organized campaign of civil disobedience.

That's not entirely true. She was definitely very active in the civil rights movement, but the bus incident wasn't planned. Also it's not that she sat down, but rather that she wouldn't get up when the bus driver told her to. Also she wasn't sitting in the white section of the bus.

But yes, the narrative of Rosa Parks who did this one thing one time because her feet were tired bothers me a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had an elementary school teacher tell us that the United States has never lost a war.

I had a middle school teacher tell me, in 1980, that the separate countries of North Vietnam and South Vietnam still existed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The rhetoric around the innocent friendliness between Native Americans and Pilgrims was such hogwash. So was the argument that the Civil War was fought for "economic" reasons.

I don't understand what's with the dismissive comments, rolling eye emojis, and the like. Do you people really support revisionist history being taught to our nation's children? Do you really think it's no big deal?

If you are concerned with revisionist history you should be concerned with all revisionist history. My son goes to a liberal private and studied comparative history. The current trend is to ignore or diminish contributions of white men and focus on contributions of women and minority's even if that warps the facts or places greater emphasis lessor contributions. For one part of the class kid who identified as conservative had to read a history book written with a liberal bend. Kids who identified as liberal had to read a book with a conservative bend. Needless to say it was an eye opening experience. Sadly, history is always Bering distorted. Whether or not someone finds the distortions offensive seems to relate to whether or not the distortions coincide with their narrow views.

[Anonymous]

If you are concerned with revisionist history you should be concerned with all revisionist history. My son goes to a liberal private and studied comparative history. The current trend is to ignore or diminish contributions of white men and focus on contributions of women and minority's even if that warps the facts or places greater emphasis lessor contributions. For one part of the class kid who identified as conservative had to read a history book written with a liberal bend. Kids who identified as liberal had to read a book with a conservative bend. Needless to say it was an eye opening experience. Sadly, history is always Bering distorted. Whether or not someone finds the distortions offensive seems to relate to whether or not the distortions coincide with their narrow views.

Not limited to private school. AP US History book is more sociology than history. Every chapter talks about the role of women and minorities to the point where important events are left out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Not limited to private school. AP US History book is more sociology than history. Every chapter talks about the role of women and minorities to the point where important events are left out.

History is not just a list of events. History is also what people did and how they lived. And most of humanity consists of women and minorities..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had an elementary school teacher tell us that the United States has never lost a war.

I feel like we lost every single one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Not limited to private school. AP US History book is more sociology than history. Every chapter talks about the role of women and minorities to the point where important events are left out.

History is not just a list of events. History is also what people did and how they lived. And most of humanity consists of women and minorities..

Over-exaggerating accomplishments to be "diverse" and ignoring major historical accomplishments because they were accomplished by old white guys isn't teaching history. It is skewing facts to make a statement and does a disservice to everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:George Washington and the cherry tree, Betsy Ross and the American flag, etc. Reading some preschool materials for this holiday and I am just discouraged by how little fact is involved with early U.S. history. The myth teaches a lesson, sure, but what a lot of time wasted on crap when it could have started out as small facts built upon over time. Instead, we get these myths from which point when the kids get older, they realize it's all been a lie, and their worldview is shattered. I don't understand why we can't just teach the world as it is.

my kid was never taught any of this -- don’t know where you are getting that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No matter what Christopher Columbus did, it was his exploration which opened up the New World. Sure, it would have happened anyway, but this is when it really started.

Fine. Great explorer, terrible person. Why only mention the first fact?

so you think third graders should be told his men all raped the Indian women?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No matter what Christopher Columbus did, it was his exploration which opened up the New World. Sure, it would have happened anyway, but this is when it really started.

Fine. Great explorer, terrible person. Why only mention the first fact?

so you think third graders should be told his men all raped the Indian women?

NP - I think the point is you can't "pick and choose" history.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No matter what Christopher Columbus did, it was his exploration which opened up the New World. Sure, it would have happened anyway, but this is when it really started.

Fine. Great explorer, terrible person. Why only mention the first fact?

so you think third graders should be told his men all raped the Indian women?

NP - I think the point is you can't "pick and choose" history.

such a thing as time and place appropriateness though for teaching the facts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Not limited to private school. AP US History book is more sociology than history. Every chapter talks about the role of women and minorities to the point where important events are left out.

History is not just a list of events. History is also what people did and how they lived. And most of humanity consists of women and minorities..

Over-exaggerating accomplishments to be "diverse" and ignoring major historical accomplishments because they were accomplished by old white guys isn't teaching history. It is skewing facts to make a statement and does a disservice to everyone.

Please give a specific example from the AP US History curriculum that overexaggerates accomplishments to be diverse and ignores major historical accomplishments because they were accomplished by old white guys. Actually two specific examples would be great, but one will suffice.