The island of St. Eustatius of the Netherlands Antilles was the first foreign power to salute the union flag back in 1776 when America became independent. It is known as America's childhood friend. Why is this important historical even not taught in the American School System and how many American educators even know about this important historical fact? A short survey indicated it is a poorly covered topic of American History.
2007-02-03 02:12:00 · 7 answers · asked by p1ay_7 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Fascinating--you've just taught this 50 + historian something new. Thank you, because I love to learn, and I'm not being flip when I say it really made my day.
As to why this isn't taught in American history, I can't say. There are a lot of frightfully interesting facts out there that never make it into history books; I guess it's because the editors are always thinking i terms of the "big" events" as if they happened in a vacuum. It's the little snippets like this that make it so much less dry and put things in a little different perspective. I'm always on the lookout for them, but then, I've always felt history to be more about people and how events affected them rather than the events themselves. A relatively minor incident like the first salute gets lost in the shuffle, and yet it should be included for what it was--a recognition of the sovereignty and status of the infant republic.
2007-02-05 12:33:20 · answer #1 · answered by Chrispy 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's not taught because, with all due respect to our "childhood friend" the island of St Eustatius is not all that important. This "first salute" is the type of historical fact that we in the historical racket call "trivia" -- the information is interesting to some, but still quite trivial.
American history is generally taught in US schools in two major segments. It changes from state to state, but around 8th grade most students study American history from the pre-discovery period, through the American Revolution and Founding era, and on to the US Civil War. Then in the 11th grade students learn about modern history, from the Reconstruction until the present.
If the first salute is going to be taught, it will make a brief cameo appearence some time around the winter break of a student's 8th grade social studies class.
2007-02-10 10:10:21 · answer #2 · answered by Mister 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow, I never even heard about this until I read your post today. I'm afraid the foreigner point of view is never heard. Only the curious are not satisfied with what they learn in the classrooms at school might research and learn of this on their own. If this site were never here I would never have known these events took place in on your island and affected American History. Thanks.
2007-02-07 22:01:47 · answer #3 · answered by Uncle Remus 54 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Today's grade school educational system glosses over the 4 years of the War Between the States with barely two pages of text; why should this "first salute" get any more attention than it already does?
2007-02-03 02:21:02 · answer #4 · answered by Team Chief 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
News to this 50+ Well done
Uncle Remus has my vote, for including the link
2007-02-10 14:51:30 · answer #5 · answered by Murray H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, you just taught me something new... and I know American History pretty well...
Now... I wonder what the whole story about that little known fact amounts too?
2007-02-03 02:21:47 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
i truly have no clue what that is and i am a freshman in high school! i really hope that this is not important
2007-02-10 11:55:10 · answer #7 · answered by snowglobe92 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋