Why is the British Empire being ignored in schools?

Question

It begs the question why is one of, if not the most important period in the country's history not being taught in schools. In fact it almost a taboo subject. History classes seem obsessed with the second world war and the holocaust and as a result are cheating our kids out of finding out who they are and what their background is.

Re: the first answer. "the american revolution. That about covers the British Empire."

That is the most short-sighted and daft thing I have ever heard on Answers.

Answer 1

Excuse me fellow answerers - teaching the 'Empire' doesn't mean advocating it. Considering one third of the planet was once under British rule the global impact should be explored. Especially the bad (ie the slave trade - which we weren't solely responsible for - I know - get off your high horse!). But modern history seems to give children a better understanding of their standing in the current world.
You'll find the use of the word 'British' history is a little optomistic too. Welsh, Scotish, Irish and English history is taught in their respective countries in detail and barely touched on in the remainder. And ancient history is touched on with a nod to Romans and Vikings (nothing about Jutes, Angles and English etc) Let's face it how many English realise that the 'English' were immigrants!
But then again there is SO much history to teach where do you begin? You have to leave some bits out otherwise a few thousand years of history would take forever to learn!

Answer 2

well its not very british to boost about having achieved 'great' things now is it? But also (not that i know as i wasn't taught at school) i suspect that are some dark stories within the empire probably in africa for the most part which wouldn't put britain in a great light. The sucessful colonialisation and establishment of the american colonies was a great accomplishment its just a shame we taxed them so heavy but independence there was probably always inevitable.

But i know what you mean, i was surprised when hearing snippets about the british empire in films as we as kids are not told about it and i certainly thought of england as just a smallish peaceful not particularly powerful country in worldly terms when i was young. Learning about the empire would certainly make sense of the world we live in, which must have been shaped by the empire greatly.

Answer 3

The British Empirew (like all before it) was a mixture of good, bad and indifferent.
By what right doers any nation impose its will on another?
Yes, our empire did take some good ideas...and steal some.
Remember the question in The Life of Brian, "What have the Romans ever done for us?" They did a great dfeal but they also destroyed many indiginous cultures...eg it is untrue to view the Briton they 'conquered' as crude and culture-less. We probably lost at least as much as we gained.
The same with the Norman conquest.....and, sorry but true, the British Empire.
But, YES, we ought to teach it...with all its flaws AND successes

Answer 4

I was taught the Empire at school,but not how it became an Empire.
Through slave trade/thieving other countries treasures/keeping the workers of the home land in poverty,etc.
Yes i was taught the glory of the capatilist few,but not that which the hypocrisy of the Empire cost my predecessors.
As for the HOLOCAUST.
Churchill and the allies turned a blind eye so as,to win the war(de-javu?)

Answer 5

I think that a few reasons exist for this.

-It is too big a subject for secondary school teaching covering too big a time scale.
-Other subjects like the second world war are much more recent and had a huge inpact in a short space of time
-The war and the holocaust has a more prevalant impact on todays news with things like NATO and the UN and our links to the US being so strong because of it all. It is much more simple for a child to see the impact of it all on todays society.

Answer 6

I have taught history in UK secondary schools, and the National Curriculum does cover the British Empire. I taught modules about the British in India.

Answer 7

I agree with you about children SHOULD learn the history of its own country in order for them to LEARN from past mistakes...

Sadly, and as recently as 1991 when troops were withdrawn from Iraq JUST before the job was completed, such lessons are NOT learned !!

Also, given there is no more British Empire, such history is lost on todays generations. The Govt have forced history teachers to be more modern in thier teachings and more uptodate.. in which case how's this for a lesson -

Can the "UNITED Kingdom" really be relevent to today when Scotland, Wales have broken loose from direct rule, and N.I. are getting there, plus Yorkshire and Cornwall would love to have thier own Assemblies/Govt rather than be governed by Westminster?

From the British Empire.. it was whittled down bit by bit to the Commonwealth.. slowly reducing to just UK.. which is disintegrating before our eyes !

How can you explain the wonderful history of Great Britain when the Govt of today has reduced the education system to plain basics?.. not to mention reducing morale of the teaching staff making it almost impossible for them to inspire the generations of tomorrow... who, it has to be said, will be running the country when you and I will hopefully still be drawing some old age pension...?

Answer 8

Maybe their history was being presented soley from their perspective. From the perspective of a native of one of the countries that were colonized by the British Empire, maybe history would look a little different. Remember, always consider who is doing the telling. We very rarely are ever presented with both sides in any given situation when it comes to history. We are generally presented with the perspective of the dominant culture. Maybe they've had their day in the sun and it is time to tell the story of others.

Answer 9

As far as i understand the British Empire was not nessesary or compusury taught in primary or secondary school, because the history of the kingdom is intact from their very start to present queen and contitutional monarch not change, unlike the United State of America every four year the government change and other country. therefore the british empire is unique in all monarch in the world no need introduce to school as long as the decendant of the the Queen Elizabeth will inherit the throne.

Answer 10

If it happened in a countries history however bad or good or controversial it should be taught. Every person has the right to know about the country they reside in.