why dont American schools teach American history anymore?

Answer 1

They do. Of course, how WELL they teach it really depends on the school and the level of the classes. In my high school, we have two years required American history, one dealing with history from the origins of democracy to WWI, and the other dealing with WWI to today. Both are very comprehensive, unbiased courses. If there is a historical debate about the validity or morality of an action (did the New Deal really help people, was Jackson's treatment of the Indians the only option, etc.), then the teacher gives us material from both sides, and has us argue one point or the other. Sometimes the students disagree with the teacher. My teacher thought that dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was justified, but I disagreed, and I learned enough IN HIS CLASS ALONE to write an argument against dropping the bombs. He gave me an A. But then again, I have been in all honors and AP classes in high school, and my school has a very high academic standing. I can't speak for other classes in other schools.

Answer 2

question: where exactly do you live that you have never once learned about American history? i learned from the time of the first settlers up until the war of 1812 in sixth grade, then in eighth grade i learned from the war of 1812 until 1945. also, i took us history in my junior year. so im pretty sure, unless you don't live in America or just decide not to take the class, that American schools teach American history. at least, the majority of the schools in the Boston area that i know of require us history in high school, some schools even offer 2 years. so, I'm pretty sure American history is still taught and always will be based on the fact that we do live in America.

Answer 3

American schools do teach American history

Answer 4

Ugh! In US such activities in primary public schools would be unconstitutional. I agree with you that if you teach one religion, you should teach them all. But there is a fine line between teaching and proselytizing. Religions and perhaps their principles can be taught in a historical context, but NEVER as the sole truth or anything like that. As you yourself said, children are vulnerable to such claptrap and the majority of them are already brainwashed at home, which is something we can do nothing about sadly. @MARZ: No, evolution as defined as change through geological time is a fact. Evolution by natural selection is a theory explaining the observed facts and supported by all evidence. Creationism is noether a fact nor a theory: only a failed hypothesis. @rodentmanjustin: there are no competing theories offered to germ theory of disease or that evil satanic multiplication table as well. Your point? And of course, if you took a class in history of biology and/or physics, you'd learn about many competing theories that were rejected over time because they did not have the same explanatory and predictive power as ToE and the Big Bang theory.

Answer 5

What are you talking about?
I take American History class. So far, I've learned about the Revolutionary war, how the pionners came over, how the states were created, who created them...we still have the classses in Ohio.
Passing is a requirement.

Answer 6

that's a very good question. i graduated in 1997 and the only history we got was the civil war. the books had everything up to the present, but we never got through the first 15 chapters though. i had to go talk to my brother-in-law to find out about other important events in history. (he's 15 years older than i am and a history buff.)

Answer 7

1) Political Correctness

2) Poorly Educated Teachers

Answer 8

I have to agree with previous only to add:

1. Political Correctness
2. The growth of revisionist history teachers and generic "studies" courses and majors in Universities in our country.

Answer 9

I'm in US history II. the only things I don't like about are: 1. my teacher is obsessed with Teddy Roosevelt. and 2. I'll be learning about the civil rights movement for the 10th *****'n year.

Answer 10

I wish Ash had expanded on her ideas about teaching history without focussing on the past- it sounds fascinating!