Please provide a response with support from the reading. Do not use 1st person in your response. (Yes, even if it is asking for your opinion.)
Chapter 1Handicapped By History-The Process of Hero-making
This chapter essentially focuses on heroification, basically a process that transforms people into heroes and mainly discusses what actually occurred in the lives of Helen Keller and Woodrow Wilson.
"One is astonished in the study of history at the recurrence of the idea that evil must be forgotten, distorted, or skimmed over. We must not remember that Daniel Webster got drunk but only remember that he was a splendid constitutional lawyer. We must forget that George Washington was a slave owner...and simply remember the things we regard as creditable and inspiring. The difficulty, of course, with this philosophy is that history loses its value as an incentive and example; it paints perfect men and noble nations, but it does not tell the truth." -W.E.B. Dubois
Consider the following statements made by Helen Keller, "People do not like to think. If one thinks, one must reach conclusions. Conclusions are not always pleasant."
1. Why does it appear there are certain, prescribed ways of remembering notable figures in history?
2. Why are we so afraid of seeing the imperfections of history and society?
3. Why does Loewen take issue with the way Helen Keller & President Woodrow Wilson have been remembered?
4. Discuss two controversial events of Woodrow Wilson’s administration.
Chapter 2: 1493 The True Importance of Christopher Columbus
Consider the statements made by the author of this book, "The authors of history textbooks have taken us on a trip of their own, away from the facts of history, into the realm of myth. They and we have been duped by an outrageous concoction of lies, half-truths, and omissions that is in large part traceable to the first half of the nineteenth century."
- What was the impact on the world of the Columbus enterprise & the subsequent European conquest of vast amounts of land in North & South America?
- Contrast Columbus with Bartolomé de las Casas.
- Discuss two other exploration/discovery possibilities.
- Should Columbus be judged by 21st Century standards?
Chapter 4- Red Eyes
“Historically, American Indians have been the most lied-about subset of our population.” (93)
1. How have "white eyes" affected the portrayal of Natives Americans, in America?
Acculturation- the process of adopting the cultural traits or social patterns of another group.
- What do think were the major reasons why acculturation did not work with the Indians?
Chapter 7: Land of Opportunity
According to Loewen, social class is probably the single most important variable in society.From the womb to tomb, it correlates with almost all social characteristics of people that we can measure.
- How does social class define who we are?
- Why do you think History books leave out issues of social and economic inequality?
- Do you agree with Loewen, that opportunity is not equal in America?
Chapter 9: See No Evil: Choosing Not to Look at the War in Vietnam
The author writes about the importance of imagery in the depiction of the Vietnam War, yet often students are often only shown the same five (5) images.
1.What images does he say students are shown and what impact does that have on their perception of the War?
2.Loewen states that when teaching about the Vietnam War there are six (6) questions that should always be addressed. What are those six (6) questions? Why does he say that so many teachers avoid these topics?
3.The question is raised about who is actually writing history - he notes that many of the textbooks are written by the same author . What problems does this cause for the schools and the students?
- How did the Civil Rights Movement relate to the war in Vietnam?
Chapter 10: Down the Memory Hole: The Disappearance of the Recent Past
1.How does the author break down our connection to the past in African proverbs and what does that mean for our difficulty in teaching recent history?
2.How does the author propose we correct the issue of teaching recent history?
3.What does the author list as the issues that should be taught in regards to our involvement in the Middle East and terrorismcurrently?
Chapter 12
- How can teachers engage positively in controversial issues with students without feeling uncomfortable?
- Why is history taught like this? – What is Loewen’s conclusion? What is yours? (Answer without using 1st person.)
Ch. 13.
- What is the result of teaching history like this? - What is Loewen’s conclusion? What is yours? (Answer without using 1st person.)