American History: Our History of Teaching it Incorrectly

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.