The Twisting of History for Ideological Purposes in America's Classrooms

Capitalism Magazine ^ | December 16, 2003 | Thomas Sowell

[Domestic Church]

Our 8 year old is reading Augustus Caesar's World by Genevieve Foster and our 10 year old is reading In the days of King Minos by Lyda Krontira ...I figure if we give them a good Classical basis in history (instead of social studies) they will be prepared to discern the phony fluff. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

We had a very interesting discussion on "et tu Brute" and contemporary politics this morning.

[Ciexyz]

My ancestors were enslaved in the Welsh coal mines before they decided to emigrate to work in the US coal mines in 1888 (specifically, the Johnstown PA area).

My point: all our ancestors were fighting to get the best deal for survival.

[Central_Floridian]

My understanding is that the Aztecs mostly sacrificed people from other tribes. Kind of explains why 15,000 Thlascan warriors and warriors from other tribes fought for Cortez.

[SpookBrat]

Genevieve Foster's books are the BEST! We're studying George Washington's World right now. This is the second time I've read it and I can't put it down. Cal, get them. You will love them. :)

[SpookBrat]

We'll have you homeschooling yet! Mark my words. LOL ((((hugs)))) Thanks for the ping.

[kuma]

My boys were being taught like this last year. This year they are being homeschooled.

It's strange. Right before I came here to browse the latest news, I was looking for a book on terms historians use. Couldn't find one but I did come across an interesting article. I talks about the purpose of Historians and why they are needed to help us remember the past. It also goes on to state that those who do not have a memory are easily manipulated by propagandists and pseudo-historians that make up history to fit an ideology.

I suggest that everyone take a look at the article link I provided below.

http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/ht/35.4/carrier.html

[AmericanVictory]

The sacrifices do not appear to have been confined to individuals from other tribes.

[familyop]

There wasn't time to get around to this clarification last night, but about the Susan B. Anthony link (comment #6), I mentioned, "Dig for documents and re-write the truth, maybe?" That phrase, "re-write the truth" being a little abiguous because of popular misuse, I meant to refer to the previously censored truths as they were once written. The comment should have said, "write the truth again."

If you dig, you'll find that early feminists tried to make sure that certain parts of their "History" were covered up. Many documents initially kept for Anthony's "The Life and Works of SBA" (Ida Husted Harper) were purposely destroyed to cover up certain facts. Follow the link in the next to the last paragraph in the first part of the series (behind the link in comment #6) where the phrase, "reflected badly on others" is quoted. Then you will be on the "IOBA Standard" page. Read the paragraph with footnote #8 in it for the surprise.

The popularity of spiritualism among them in the 19th Century was one thing many feminists tried very much to cover up. Educators have worked since to keep more conservative social books and editorials of 1800s (about feminism) out of publication, although a few very poor arguments from newspapers of that time are held up as evidence of the stupidity of opposition to early feminism.

...hope this helps.

[familyop]

Oh, and by the way, the word, "spiritualism" has been corrupted since then. Spiritualism was the practice of worshipping the dead (seances, and so forth). You'll find in the last part of the series that Anthony was, in fact, a believer in such communications with the dead and prayed to become a medium (as she, herself wrote it).

[mrs tiggywinkle]

**I figure if we give them a good Classical basis in history (instead of social studies) they will be prepared to discern the phony fluff. **

Bingo!

[mrs tiggywinkle]

**My heritage is Serbian, which means 'slave'. I have taught my children that their ancestors were slaves, too; through the Grace of God and hard work and sacrifice, they were able to come to this country and be free to improve their lot in life. **

I'm Serbian as well, ST. My grandfather came to the states in 1925 to begin a life of hope. He worked in the Pennsylvania mines til becoming a barber and working at Great Lakes Naval Base til his death.

[mrs tiggywinkle]

When your children are a bit older, consider using Charles Coffin's (civil war journalist) books for history. Sometimes the truth isn't always 'pretty' but necessary to know the facts. It's important to know *why* liberty was so important to the founding fathers. :o)

The Story of Liberty
Sweet Land of Liberty
Boys of 76
and others...

[Calpernia]

Familyop, I was freeping to Spooks about starting an information/reference thread on homeschooling. I have done nothing to put it together yet; but I have been bookmarking URLs for state laws, reference information and such. I think that link you are starting for history reference would be perfect. If you don't mind, I'm going to mark your freeper nic in my ping list for homeschooling. I will want to include your research when I get that thread up.

[Calpernia]

Thanks for the tip Spooks!

[Calpernia]

Thank you for that link!

[Domestic Church]

I always prefer first hand sources so I will keep Charles Coffin in mind.

[familyop]

You're most welcome to link to that, and I'll keep the link there. Put a link to the site in your browser bookmarks, too. I also started a list elsewhere of links to resources for writers (dictionaries, thesauri, rules, etc.) and will try to get those on the site soon.