American history is extremely important. Not only does it
show us where we came from, it instills a sense of pride in the country. By studying
American history students are able to learn about all we have accomplished as a
nation.
Unfortunately, that is often all they learn. Censorship of
American history has been a hot topic for a few years. Some believe that
students should only be taught American history that fosters pride in the
country, instead of also teaching about the poor decisions we have made. Students,
however, are not ignorant enough to accept this. There have been protests from
the students themselves to stop the censorship of American history.
Censorship involves many things. Some history is blatantly
ignored, while some is taught in such a way that it makes America appear in a
better light. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with emphasizing the good
America has done in the world, it is important to show the bad America has
done. It teaches students about learning from mistakes. Censoring American
history makes our students more ignorant. Beyond that, we run the risk of them
finding a more true history on their own, which will further impact their faith
in the school system and even the government. The best way to combat this is to
teach the correct balance of material, which highlights the good and the bad of
American history.
Here are some common examples where history may be taught differently:
The way schools teach about Abraham Lincoln is a prime
example. The Emancipation Proclamation is shown as a huge win for civil rights,
which it was. It is also often taught that Abraham Lincoln was extremely
opposed to slavery. He was not. His goal was simply to keep the Union together,
whether that meant freeing the slaves or not. While this difference may seem
small, it has a huge impact on the view of his presidency. Teach instead, about
his military prowess. Teach about his dedication to keeping America unified.
This is a beautiful message for students to hear. Focus instead on the Civil
Rights Movement when discussing proper equality.
Thanksgiving is a great example of history that is taught
completely incorrectly. We touched on the topic in a past
blog post already. The current lessons surrounding Thanksgiving diminish the
sufferings of Native Americans. In fact, teachings about Native Americans,
their culture, and what Americans have done to erase them is something that
could use further teaching in general. There is no national standard for
teaching Native American history. It is important students understand who was here
before us, and where they are today.
Japanese Internment Camps are another subject that is often
glossed over. While concentration camps receive a lot of attention, many
schools only mention America’s own camps in passing. This is not true of every
state, but a survey would tell you that many Americans know very little, and
sometimes nothing, about these camps. It was determined these internment camps
were based on racism and war hysteria, rather than sound military expertise. Going
into more history about this topic will show students that hate and fear should
not be on the forefront of decision making.
There are plenty more examples of important parts of
American history that are glossed over or not taught in schools. It is
important that students have a full understanding of where they have come from,
to stop America from making the same mistakes in the future. Your ability to
teach more extensively on these topics may be limited depending on your school,
however the benefits of students getting a full understanding of the history of
their nation is extremely important. If you are able to give them that better
understanding, please do.
