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The first thing you need to be aware of before reading this book is that Loewen has a proctologist view of America. What he is really upset about is that most history books do not match his interpretation of history. Also, Loewen is a sociologist, not a historian. He spends the first half of the book condemning history books for having too much information.
He also fails to mention that if you take any college course in history you will get all of these negative perspectives and more. He thinks that items like Woodrow Wilson in WWI are useless, but instead Wilson should be presented as a racist. There are plenty of lies Loewen could mention; myths about McCarthy, F.D.R., Kennedy, and even Nixon, but because they do not match his view of the US they are left out. He talks as if alternative perspectives are somehow repressed in history class, as a history teacher I can tell you they are not. Instead he goes on and on about the lack of importance of historical events traditionally in history book (the lies), and the events that he believes are important that should replace the traditional. Once you understand this the purpose of his writing becomes clear.
It isn't really lies he talks about, but events in history that do not match his view. They are celebrated. Loewen's inconsistencies are the biggest problem. Then he spends the second half of the book condemning history books for what they leave out.
Overall, I was most impressed with Loewen's rationale, suggesting that authors, who claim Columbus as being a scholar, consequently propagate a dangerous archetype, which states, "those who direct collective enterprises are more intelligent than their subordinates." Loewen's book is highly beneficial when it comes to critically evaluating historical episodes and their underlying basis. Exemplifying the effects of these false archetypes, Malcolm X's disinterest for curriculum produced by the "collective white man", parallels the apathetic effect presented by Loewen to illustrate the disinterest in schools today. Essentially, this bland curriculum ensures a higher volume of sales, while inadvertently resulting in the conception and propagation of false archetypes (misconstrued bits of history).
Furthermore, I recall a sense of confusion and anger as I reconciled Columbus' tale. Loewen, exemplifies such false archetypes in his factual book, Lies My Teacher Told Me (1996). Prior to the abrupt dismissal of Columbus Day as a school holiday, I ignorantly believed that certain historical facts remained constant.
By comparatively analyzing the curriculum of a dozen American History textbooks, as well as their respective accounts of Columbus' existence, the totality of his research concluded that American History textbooks: offend minority groups, overlook alternative viewpoints, glorify predominant ideologies, while validating their respective subscribers.Loewen goes on to assert that these falsehoods are a result of history textbooks, published with a primary objective: to convey history while minimizing controversial themes and depictions. After reading this book, it seems that we are all victims of an inaccurate account of history and though we can attempt to better understand what really happened, we will always remain dubious to the truth. In stark contrast with findings from recent publications, my edification suggested that the courageous explorer was rather exceptional; after all, at that time, he was the only person who believed that the Earth was spherically shaped, or so I thought.
While analyzing the teaching of American History, James W.
A must read for high school students who need to better understand concepts of truth and critical thinking. Loewen's work is non-dogmatic with his writing being in service to accuracy rather than any political ideology. Loewen has done his homework AGAIN. This is a bullet proof condemnation of the folklore that passes for history in every major high school text now in use.
He also suggests ways to correct this serioius shortcoming and every American ought to applaud that. This history casts current racial attitudes and issues in a different light than most of our high school graduates are likely to see unless they are taught the complete history of their country, warts and all. To make his point, Loewen emphasizes the "dark side" of U.S. They also received mandatory public education, which was automatically extended to white children for the first time in the south. Textbook publishers want to avoid controversy (so, apparently, do many school systems), so they feed students a white-washed, non-controversial, over-simplified version of this country's history and its most important historical figures. So, for example, we never learned that Woodrow Wilson ran one of the most racist administrations in history and helped to set back progress in race relations that had begun after the Civil War. The problem is that our kids never learn both sides of these stories, so history becomes a bland repetition of non-confrontational "events" that appear to have had no or vague causes. This is a real eye-opener to anyone who thinks they learned about U.S.
Helen Keller's socialist leanings and political views are omitted and we only learn that she overcame blindness and deafness. But, between 1890 and 1920, the Feds gradually disengaged and allowed southern racist governments to strip these rights from blacks and relegate them to virtual non-citizenship. He points out that all societies, including Native Americans and Africans, kept slaves, for example (the very antithesis of "revisionist" or "post modern" approaches) and that it is unfair to single out Columbus as singularly evil. Thus, we learn that Columbus was an unimaginative fortune hunter, a racist tyrant and slave trader, but Loewen notes that he (and Spain) were not much different than most people at the time. John Brown is portrayed as a wild-eyed nut who ran amok until he was caught and hung, rather than an eloquent and dedicated abolitionist who uttered many of the same words and thoughts that Lincoln later expressed. history in high school. Loewen spent eleven years reviewing the 12 most commonly-used U.S. They are left with the distorted impression that, down deep, the United States always means well (rather than acting in its own best interests, like any other country) and, in the end, is always "right." With that view of our history, these students become putty in the hands of politicians who appeal to that dumbed-down, distorted view.
Despite some of the reviews posted here, it is clear to me that Loewen is NOT out to bash the United States or offer up an equally one-dimensional, negative version of its history. Only within the last half-century has that policy been gradually reversed, again through Federal intervention. For example, from the Civil War until around 1890, real racial progress was underway in the United States and civil rights laws were Federally enforced in the South. Loewen has presented fair accounts of key events in our history and indicated why our high school graduates know and care so little about it.
No wonder kids are bored and disinterested. AW Historical events are not related to issues that people disputed or serious conflicts that placed them at irreversable odds with one another, the very stuff that drives history. history textbooks and found all to be seriously wanting.
He notes the plus side of many of the figures whose weaknesses he exposes. The military was integrated and former slaves had the right to vote, serve on juries and as witnesses in trials, own property and operate businesses. history, because that's the part that's missing from our education system. Loewen's book vividly illustrates the maxim that "those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Ignorance of our real history also renders us incapable of fully understanding the present and coming to grips with the issues of our time.
If you are a Socialist or die hard Democrat, you will love this book. Do we really want to add another 400 pages to our text books for our youth to have to read. I found about 100 pages of facts in a 400 page book.
Yes, our four fathers made a lot of mistakes, and yes, a lot could be added into text books. I am a History guy, and there are some great facts that make you think. But, it took him 400 pages to write about all he wanted to complain about.
I bought this book looking for some facts about our history books. Although Democrats lookout, he also complains about President Kennedy. If you could just get rid of all the politics and personal views, it would be a much smaller and more interesting book.
The rest was all politics and complaining. It complains about Republicans and Europeans ancestors and blames them for all that is evil in the American system.
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