ISBN: 0684818868
Godina izdanja: 1996
Jezik: Engleski
Autor: Strani

Everything Your American History

Touchstone Books 1996 383 strane

očuvanost 5-

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong
is a 1995 book by sociologist James W. Loewen. It is a critique of American high school history textbooks, arguing that they present a Eurocentric, mythologized, and inaccurate view of the nation`s past. The book is a national bestseller and won the American Book Award in 1996.
Key themes and criticisms

`Heroification`: Loewen argues that textbooks often `heroify` historical figures, stripping them of their complexity and flaws to create idealized, bland caricatures. This tendency makes history boring and unrelatable to students, who are left with the impression that these figures were superhuman.
Ignoring controversy: According to Loewen, textbooks frequently avoid controversial topics, glossing over or omitting past clashes and tragedies. This approach sanitizes historical events like slavery and the Vietnam War, and fails to explain the true reasons behind them.
Focus on blind patriotism: The books present history with a mindset of uncritical optimism and blind patriotism, which Loewen believes perpetuates misinformation. He argues that this results in students being unprepared to think critically about America`s past and present.
Mythologizing events: The book exposes inaccuracies in accounts of historical events, including Christopher Columbus`s voyages, the first Thanksgiving, and the treatment of Native Americans. For instance, a common theme in textbooks is to portray Columbus in an overly positive light, ignoring the exploitation and violence that followed his arrival.
Inadequate curriculum: In a later edition, Loewen adds a preface linking inadequacies in high school history courses to the rise of misinformation and a decline in critical thinking.

Notable examples from the book

Helen Keller: Textbooks typically portray Keller as an inspirational figure who overcame her disabilities. Loewen reveals she was also a radical socialist who fought for free speech, a fact omitted from many schoolbooks.
Woodrow Wilson: Though often presented as a heroic figure, Loewen notes Wilson was a staunch racist and a member of the Ku Klux Klan.
Abraham Lincoln: Loewen discusses how textbooks often oversimplify Lincoln`s motivations for freeing the slaves, portraying the decision as purely moral rather than also tied to economic and political factors.