Historical events children in our country should know?

[steveox]

Which events or people do you feel that they should know in order to understand and be a good member of your society? Vote as many as possible

 

[GenSeneca]

Well, according to the Progressives....

 

[ProudLefty]

It isn't clear to me why a child should know the names of the Generals, or of the battles, in wars, but it does seem important to me that children understand the moods of the various times, and why wars were fought.

I do wish too, that children ( I presume we are talking through high school?) should know the books that focused the attentions of the citizens during tumultuous times. We all need to know Uncle Toms Cabin," Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, For whom the Bell Tolls, Grapes of Wrath, and Silent Spring, as a minimal starting place. How can one read The Jungle and then ever again question the need for the FDA for instance?

 

[PLC1]

It isn't clear to me why a child should know the names of the Generals, or of the battles, in wars, but it does seem important to me that children understand the moods of the various times, and why wars were fought.

I do wish too, that children ( I presume we are talking through high school?) should know the books that focused the attentions of the citizens during tumultuous times. We all need to know Uncle Toms Cabin," Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, For whom the Bell Tolls, Grapes of Wrath, and Silent Spring, as a minimal starting place. How can one read The Jungle and then ever again question the need for the FDA for instance?

Yes, they should have an acquaintance at least with all of the above, with the events of world and national history in the OP as well. I'd add the civil rights movement and the events that led up to it. High school students should read and discuss the books you've mentioned. I'd add Orwell's 1984 to the list as well.

and let's not forget the history of the Vietnam wa.. I mean police action, starting with the battle of Dienbenphu, discussing the Gulf of Tonkein incident, following up with the Pentagon Papers, and ending with Vietnamese intervention in the Khymer Rouge and a glimpse into Vietnamese society in the 21st. century.

Since there is only so much time, and kids need to learn some math, science, and critical thinking skills as well, we can leave out such nonsense as "creationism".

 

[pocketfullofshells]

I think kids need know alot more of our history then they do...and now that No Child left behind ( also known as all kids are) maybe they can do better again. I mean I mean Palin clearly needs some help with her Paul Revere and the 2nd amendment thing. Bachmann not knowing where the Shot heard round the world was fire ( or Elvis's birthday/death date...or who was born in her home town...or...) Or maybe unlike the Republican Congress...could read the Constitution as it was written...you know blacks being not full people and all...so kids could learn that yes...even our constitution was not perfect and was in fact sometimes horribly bad and wrong.

Learn about how the US grew..the good..and the bad...republicans like to white wash it, but its important to know that not everything was good. Like we did not just happen to own the Philippians...we fought a war against its people to take it..killing 400,000 to 600,000 of them. Or maybe we can talk about Cuba..and why Castro and Che and the rest..fought and took over the nation with the backing of the people against US...But of course Castro is the bad guy and we are the good guys..even if we exploited the people of Cuba and made sure they had no rights under our rule...and then also go into the reasons why and how Castro changed thins for the better for many in Cuba...and also how he made things worse as well..and how those changes have effected US Cuba Policy....

To often the right these days wants a text book of all the good and none of the bad so there can be no real debate on the merits or real understanding of the events..making them useless.

Also teach kids that no...there where not Humans and Dinosaurs living at the same time...even if the tea party and right wing nuts think there where.

 

[pocketfullofshells]

who said not the French Revolution? you can't teach the American revolution without some background on the French.....

 

[PLC1]

who said not the French Revolution? you can't teach the American revolution without some background on the French.....

The French had a revolution? Here, I thought they were just a bunch of wussy Euro socialists more interested in the best vintages than in rough, tough manly stuff like revolutions.




(and if anyone takes that post at face value, I'll LOL at them.)

 

[ProudLefty]

The French had a revolution? Here, I thought they were just a bunch of wussy Euro socialists more interested in the best vintages than in rough, tough manly stuff like revolutions.




(and if anyone takes that post at face value, I'll LOL at them.)

Manly? You said "manly"?