why Is history different in America?

Question

As an Englishman it always amazes me that Americans get taught a different history to most other nations.
I would imagine that they use "hollywood" as a starting reference for most schools and then make it up from there to make it sound like the USA wins every war single handedly.
I Have to say i admire the schools for feeding this dross to the students without them cottoning on though.

Answer 1

HUH???????????

Answer 2

Sidney, old bean, you are worse than a match to a kerosene-soaked rag. Actually, to get serious just for once, remember in school when we got taught about the American Revolution? At my school it was pretty much a case of "Americans were the baddies and they wasted a whole shipload of perfectly good tea." I have news for you, in America kids are taught how important the war was and how it laid the foundations of this great country.

Even within the USA there are vastly differing opinions on the Civil War (the American one, not the English, in case you're wondering). Up north, the southerners are viewed as - how can I put it - unreformed and, therefore, rather backward. The truth is more complex, but i won't bother you with the fine detail. Instead, lets talk ab out the English view of British history. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. The Brothers Grimm couldn't have come up with anything better. The English establishment have been, down the centuries, evil murderers of the smaller nations around them. Mind you, it didn't stop us kicking some English butt at Bannockburn. Ten thousand well armed and armoured Englishmen versus three thousand Scots farmers with pitchforks and axes.

Of course, the English establishment is still trying to perpetuate the myth that Scotland has never been able to stand on its own two feet. Poppycock and balderdash, if I may be so bold. it is a vain attempt to keep power and it is going to fail. In six weeks time Tony Blair's party is going to be unceremoniously booted out of what is supposed to be its stronghold.

Anyway, time for me to stop enjoying myself too much. Cheerio.

Answer 3

Most people, myself included, Call hollywood,
"Hollyweird."
We dont use hollywood as a reference. As a matter of fact i have seen students get a movie based on a book they were supposed to read and do a report on the movie and not the book. That is called stupidity. and just about how much do you know about America?
You would know for american history for example,
WW2 who planned operation overlord? Dwight D. Eisenhower, if that operation would never have been created then where would england be? Most wars seem to turn when America gets involved it has nothing to do with us being cowards we just decide to act whenever we see fit or whenever we see it in our national intrests. Where would you be if America had never gotten involved in WW1 or WW2.
Do we think we win wars singlehandedly? Not neccesarily.
I acknowledge the bravery of Canadians on operation Overlord. I accept Britain hanging by like she did. I accept the help the Russians gave us. these are examples.
So tell me,
How much "Dross" Have you been fed about America?

Answer 4

I'm a history teacher from the United States currently teaching at an international school in Germany. I've taught here and in Japan for many years and can tell you that much of what I've read here is just plain silly. There may be differences in the emphasis placed on certain historical events among national curriculums but I've yet to see any substantial discrepancies in content. My classes are now filled mainly with the children of US American and British expatriates. From first hand experience I can tell you the US American students do just as well as students from any other country represented in my class. My British colleague earned his MA degree from the University of Utah and admits that he was astonished at the level of performance displayed by his US American counterparts. He'd previously bought into the stereotypes.

Answer 5

Yes! Finally someone who has caught on! To bad you don't live in this country! Only me and my American History or World History teachers have noticed anything, you see it's a huge conspiracy (no hillary it's not part of the right-wing conspiracy). All americans are involved.
Being English perhaps you have noticed that Americans are always right, hmmm? well at least we think we are.
We have always won everything always! well that's what you learn on C-Span. We are the greatest nation- again c-span. People just can't accept that although we have one of the greatest nations on earth *ahem* on paper, in practice things fall thorugh the cracks. William Mckinley once said, "a perfect nation in theory, but those who practice it severely restrict it's usefulness".
Back to the history lesson...
History is written by the winners, it's true, look at the Romans, they got to write about what savages the barbarian tribes of Huns and Tuetons were. Spaniards wrote about the savage Mayan Race, looking back with hindsight we can see that Mayans were more technologically advanced then all of Europe, and they did it all alone!
Hell, When Britain was the worlds most vast colonial power they wrote all the history books,
Now that America thinks we run the world isn't only natural that we write the history books?
Poor excuses, i know. Think of the Revolutionary War, it happened over taxes! Your country believed that we should help pay for the war that was created because we wanted to be safe, seems natural right? Protect us from the French and the Indians right is what we wanted but we didn't want to give anything back.
American's for the most part are cry babies, and very few people even take the time to read foreign authors, listen in school, expand their realm of knowledege, most of them don't even read on grade level!
Thanks for the chance to vent, the school system is a cruel facade built to help manufacture false hopes and promises, oh sure you learn to read and write but you don't really learn anything, you memorize vast amounts of meaningless bullshit until the next test! nothing more nothing less. It isn't until you get to college that you begin to learn anyhting, but hey what do i know? i am just a self proclaimed educated guy, I am still in High School!

Answer 6

I suspect that somebody must have told them that history is written by the victors.

Thus, ever since WW I they keep convincing themselves that they keep 'winning' every conflict, which then confers the right to write it up however you like.

It helps to keep things simple, during and after WW II Audey Murphy and John Wayne won everything, as you say, single-handed, and then we got a dose of Rambo, Sly Stallone, and now.............who is it now ? Jackie Chan ??? Oh,what about that French chappie, Jean-Clawed Somebody or other, wouldn't do to let one of those in, would it ?

If US citizens don't appreciate the sly pokes at their worldy knowledge ( or rather lack of it ), then for Pete's sake do something about it. Does it ever occur to you that every time you claim to have 'won' something, all the people who really had to deal with the problem are undermined and further alienated from US culture. This is something you did to yourselves, nobody else to blame.

Yes, I did go to school mostly in the UK, but I also served time in the US educational system..........not very usefully I might add.

Answer 7

American schools are very good. Proof of this is seen in the fact that Yanks have stood shoulder to shoulder with us against the 'jack booted ' thugs who have tried world conquest during the last century.
Poorly schooled and badly raised folks wouldn't give their lives for their friends as the Americans have.
Attacking America from without and within does a diservice to the world and is what the enemy today wants.
This Great Briton loves the USA and always will!

Answer 8

Well, one cannot argue with that but step back a little and look at the dross we are being fed as fact, now.

Global Warming, courtesy of that ex - Vice President Al Gore's film, 'An Incovenient Truth'. A film which charted the famous hockey stick graph of climate change, using science, well, science fiction actually. Global warming is a political sham.

Sadam's Wepons of Mass Destrucrion.

The Murder of Dr David Kelly,

The abolotion of UK border controls at a time and by a government who was claiming that Britain was under a real and severe terrorist threat.

The EU Constitution is Dead and Buried.

We will have the finest schools and hospitals in Europe.

All nations are fed dross, some more than others.

Answer 9

History must not be taught from a national point of view especially if that country makes so many "in house" decisions affecting the rest of the world. Too many people here on Answers haven't a clue yet they are making bold statements with no understanding of the facts.

Answer 10

Boy, have you ever been suckered in. The U.S. is not really a country at all. It's a business started by the British royal family. That whole revolution thing was just a ruse to get over on the subjects of the crown. The royal family didn't want to cut you in on the action.
That's right. The royal family owns the U.S. lock, stock, and barrel. You got a beef with the U.S. Take it up with the boss, your queen.

Answer 11

You again?....Ten Quid says the only thing about you that's "English" is the language you use so poorly.

I'm guessing you're probably an All-American self-hating wannabe-Euro living on the outskirts of Sacramento who's just trying to get a little affirmation for an otherwise empty life.

If I'm wrong, I'm in England at least three times a year...Tell me where your local is and you can teach me all about real American history....The bitter's on me....of course, you probably drink Bud.