How come Americans dont know anything about other countries except their own?

Question

How come Canadians are taught about other counrties as well as their own but the Americans dont know anything about Canada? They even ask..do you know "Joe" in toronto..dont they realize this country is 6000 miles wide? Why arent Amerian children taught Geography and History in school..other than their own..

P.S. Rick Mercer is a good example... What do you think of the Seal Hunt in Regina..... Lets save the Polar Bears..they are walking the streets in Toronto and How can we get the Cruise Ships to stop in Winnipeg.. ?

Answer 1

Well, I have often thought the same thing. One of my favourite shows was Rick Mercer's "Talking to Americans". (see site below). I have many American relatives who are well educated and intelligent people but whose knowledge of anything that lies outside their country or happened outside their country is very minimal at best. I blame the media. I mean, think about it. Just about the only television or radio they are exposed to is American. Their newspapers print mostly only American news, even on an international level, and then, what is printed or televised of what is going on outside the states is given a very American slant. So, really, they can't help it, I guess.

Myself, Iike to keep up-to-date on all things nationally and internationally. I like to view the Al-Jazeera page, simply to get another view on what is going on over there, other than the American view. (see site below)

I saw the documentary film "Control Room" a few years ago at a Film Festival and it was quite an eye opener. (see site below)

But, I don't know what the answer to this is. You would think that a country that considers itself a "world power" would have more knowledge of the world around it.

Answer 2

The reason that Canadians are taught about other nations including their own and the USA is not taught about Canada has to do with stereotypes and a lack of interest to learn. Whatever children are taught is usually not much. If a child wants to learn more, he or she is left to find out more on his or her own, like I did as a teenager(I am now 20). Many persons grow up with the stereotype that Canada is some cold forbidding land with nothing but white people, which is far from the truth. Vancouver BC and Victoria BC actually have warmer climates than that of the Midwest USA with little snow(unless you go to the mountains). Canada is more diverse than one might believe. People from many ethnic groups(Italian, British, First Nations people(Mohawk,Cree,Micmac), Inuit, French, Ukrainian, Jamaican, Sikhs, Greeks, Japanese, Chinese, Haitian, Metis, Somalian, Greek, Portuguese, even descendants of African-Americans. And that is just to name a few.) Believe it or not, there are a few Little Italies(Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Montreal), Little Jamaica(Toronto), Chinatowns(Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver). One of the largest Portuguese communities in North America(possibly the largest) is in Toronto. Does anyone know that the descendants of African-American slaves have relatives who fought for Canada in exchange for their freedom on the Loyalist side in the Revolutionary War and that many of the descendants live in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick(not to mention African-Americans who fled from the southern USA during the post-slavery days(not pre-slavery days) to Alberta)? Does anyone know that the Vikings and Leif Ericson were the first Europeans on the North American conntinent at what is now Newfoundland(not Columbus)? Samuel de Champlain founded what is now la Cite du Quebec. Canada became independent of Britain in 1867. I also know of Parti Quebecois, the separatist political party in Quebec who wants Quebec to be a separate nation. I also know that Stephen Harper is the current Prime Minister of Canada. When I was 10 years old I thought Brian Mulroney was the Prime Minister, although by then it was Jean Chrétien. Canada had a female Prime Minister, Kim Campbell(1993). The USA has not had a female president yet but it could happen soon. As for knowledge on Canada, the teachers should teach more. If the teachers don't teach about Canada, then students show take it upon themselves to learn about their neighbor to the north(My neighbor to the north too. I am an American.)

Answer 3

Assuming you are genuinely interested in an answer here and not just posting a "Why are Americans dumb"? bash, I think the answer comes in 3 parts:

1.) The US is a pretty large country in and of itself, so there's a lot to learn about our own country.

2.) The US is divided up into "states", while other continents (in particular, Europe) are divided up into comparably sized "countries". If we had used the same method of hectoring out North America, we could have had the bragging rights of knowing something about 50 "different countries".

3.) Quite frankly (and this is where we get the obligatory "arrogant Americans" label), the US takes a larger part of the world stage than a lot of other countries. I'm assuming that if I grew up in another country other than the US (like Canada), along with learning about my own country, I'd probably be learning something about the sole world super-power.

Assuming you are Canadian, what more do you think I should know about your country besides you're divided up into "provinces", Pierre Trudeau was once your prime minister, you have socialized health care, and you're crazy about hockey?

Answer 4

World geography and history are "covered" in the curriculum, but in such a mind-numbingly dull and unintelligible way that none of it sticks.

I think two good things we could do would be: a) use globes (preferably based on satellite photography) rather than flat maps, and use them often; b) start with current events and situations and ask "How come this is going on?" research, lather, rinse, repeat. It would give focus and purpose to their studies, as well as showing them how understanding the past actually does help you understand the present.

Answer 5

Well...I haven't been in school since the early 90's and I was taught Geography and History about my own state/country as well as other states/countries.
And I asked a friend of mine who lives in Hamilton Ontario is he happened to know my husbands uncle who also lived there and he did...so maybe the person asking the question was just "grabbing at straws"...

Answer 6

Stop generalizing. I was taught geography and history and I know quite a bit about Canada and other countries.

I bet you'd be surprised how many Canadians are ignorant about any country but their own eh?

Answer 7

Well, only a little bit of Canada is seen on US weather maps and such. My history classes have gone back and forth from American history to world history. I guess it's better to first know where you've come from before where you haven't.

Answer 8

Admittedly, we are a pretty egocentric bunch.

You have a point. World history and geography simply hasn't been a priority. Why? I don't know.

So, you don't know Joe in Toronto? How about Steve? ;)

Answer 9

Americans do too know about other countries! I've learned about other places than places in America! And plus Canada deserves to be unknown! It sucks!!!!

Answer 10

Ummmmm....yeah....Canada 'eh? Well let's see what I know aboot Canada.......cannabis is legal there. YES! Which means that BC has thee best stuff you can find in North America....oh and love those Northern Lights too dude. A real killer.....when you're smoking it you can almost believe you see the northern lights.

Does that answer your question?