In all fairness though to American history, yours isn't the only one that is distorted.
I bet there isn't one country around on this planet whose history isn't slanted or embelished in one way or another.
It's like seeing a map of the world from different countries; whatever country is in the center of their map.
If they hadn't killed Lincoln we would never have fought the civil war. This was told to me in all seriousness by an acquaintance once.
edgarblythe wrote:If they hadn't killed Lincoln we would never have fought the civil war. This was told to me in all seriousness by an acquaintance once.
At the time? <sorry, couldn't resist.>
BlaiseDaley wrote:And anybody that goes against what's been trotted out as American history is revisionist.
That's because the Religious Right like having a fairy-tale version of history to go along with their fantasy version of Christianity...From Columbus to the Native American genocide to slavery to countless unjust wars (and on, and on).
A country that can't own up to its mistakes is living on borrowed time.
Well Dys, you'll be happy to know my son is learning US History from a teacher who uses the book, "Lies My Teacher Told Me." Earlier this fall he had to write an essay on three reasons why Columbus should not be considered a hero. For Turkey Day, he had to write a story of the REAL first Thanksgiving told from the Wampanoag point of view. And for extra credit, he just finished a very sarcastic invitation to come settle in the New World, as it might have been written by the Native Americans at the time (the ones who didn't die.) You would've liked that one, Dys. The postscript nearly killed me. He wrote:
"P.S. Oh yeah. Thanks for the smallpox too. It killed my mother-in-law. I never liked her anyway."
Eva wrote:Well Dys, you'll be happy to know my son is learning US History from a teacher who uses the book, "Lies My Teacher Told Me." Earlier this fall he had to write an essay on three reasons why Columbus should not be considered a hero. For Turkey Day, he had to write a story of the REAL first Thanksgiving told from the Wampanoag point of view. And for extra credit, he just finished a very sarcastic invitation to come settle in the New World, as it might have been written by the Native Americans at the time (the ones who didn't die.) You would've liked that one, Dys. The postscript nearly killed me. He wrote:
"P.S. Oh yeah. Thanks for the smallpox too. It killed my mother-in-law. I never liked her anyway."
Yeah Diane has been reading the same book. although I can't say anything about it's credibility, it might be a good starting point.
I agree. It's a good starting point.
I completely agree!
I remember my Oklahoma history class in Jr. High being much more "five civilized tribes" than "trail of tears". I guess they forgot that there were plenty of Native Americans around to set the story straight.
In High School at Booker T. during black history month they cooked chitlins and all kinds of nasty stuff in the school cafeteria which really taught us that black folk were just given the crappy meat that nobody else could stand to smell, much less eat.
Looking at Eva's post I'm thinking those schools might have made some progress since the olden' days.
There is another book, the Inpolitically Correct Guide to History. Not a bad read, and clears up a few misconceptions .
echi wrote:
A country that can't own up to its mistakes is living on borrowed time.
America is a great standing example to that statement..
So when do you separate the poeple of a given countrty from their government? The great majority of people I know, Democrat, Republican or Independant are much more reasonable and clear thinking than those of our government.
