Static History...It Doesn't Exist

We would like to think that history is static meaning that it never changes. 

We would like to think the history we learn in school will be the same history our children learn, but it can't be.  

History does change.

Time marches on creating new history and existing history changes over time as well.   Each new generation analyzes past events based on their context - what they are currently experiencing.  The further we get away from a particular event points of view change, new variables come into play shaping the events, and attitudes shift over time. 

New resources such as journals, letters, etc. come to light all the time to give new interpretations.  New archaeological evidence is discovered that can change historical events dramatically.

Last year an interesting discovery was written regarding Africans and the Western Hemisphere.  It seems 49 skeletal remains were found by archaeologist working at the colony of La Isabela in present-day Dominican Republic.  The colony was founded by Columbus during his second voyage to the New World in 1493. 

1700 souls helped settle the colony and when 300 remained due mainly to disease and starvation Columbus finally abandoned the place.

Last year the reports...this one included...advised two of the remains found were thought to be of African descent.   If this is proven we could be teaching students within a few years that Africans reached the New World possibly 150 years before we previously thought, and it might possibly turn out they came here of their own free will since their arrival pre-dates known slavery.  The last update regarding the testing and analysis of the situation is the one I linked to above.  I haven't been able to find a new update.

When I was in elementary school Christopher Columbus had a very tall pedestal and went from THE man who discovered America to one of the men who discovered America.   Then there was the discussion regarding how you can discover a place where folks were already living there, and the most important change in the story came about when we began teaching how natives were treated once Columbus arrived.  Many educators were actually criticized for giving the Columbus myth a black eye, yet we cannot keep teaching the same story once new details are discovered.

Yes, history changes.

Sometimes history changes because corrections have to be made.  The other day I was writing an installment of my local history column and discovered a slight error regarding the travels of Benjamin Hawkins, an Indian Agent, through the wilderness of Georgia and Alabama in the early 1800s.

You can find my post, Credit Where Credit Is Due here.

I'm Asking Once More.....Is History Important?

This post first ran in January, 2006 on my seventh day of blogging. I guess I thought it very important to establish early on just why history is so important.

Enjoy!

One reason why history is important it that the past has value to our society. Thousands of people throughout history have gone to great lengths to record history through newspapers, diaries, journals, saved letters, family Bibles, and oral traditions. It is believed that Aborigines of Australia actually managed to hang onto their history for 40,000 years by word of mouth.

History is the narrative of mankind. It provides answers as to how people lived as well as provide for us the roots to certain ideas concerning laws, customs, and political ideas. Have you ever wondered where the rude gesture of pointing your middle finger at people you are annoyed at came from? One origin story states it reportedly began at the Battle of Agincourt where the French demanded the surrender of the English longbow men. The French demand was very simple. The bowmen had to surrender immediately or upon capture they would have their middle fingers cut off. This finger was sacred to the men since it was the finger used in firing the longbow. The English response to the French demands was to raise their middle finger and raise their hands high in the air in unison for the French to view. This enraged the French who attacked immediately but were promptly obliterated by the plucky English. Think about their bravery the next time you are tempted to raise that finger.

The age-old adage, “you can’t know where you are going unless you know where you have been” is actually very true. A true scholar of history realizes history does repeat itself. This repetition has importance in society. It teaches the value of certain social changes and governmental policies. Ideas that were presented in the 1960s can be found in the writings of William Godwin in the 1790s. The Ancient Greeks redistributed wealth which was clearly repeated during the Communist regimes. It didn’t work for the Greeks and it certainly did not work for Communist Russia.

Though the Greeks had strange ideas about wealth they were firm believers that history was something that people could learn from. I began my love affair with history as an elementary student who read each and every biography my media center possessed. I was fascinated with the famous people I was learning about since they had a childhood like me and I was intrigued at the twists and turns their life took on their journey to achieve their goals. I remember particularly the biography I read about Woodrow Wilson. He held my interest because he was born in my home state of Georgia. He provided a character education lesson because he showed great tenacity as he never gave up even after several failed businesses that resulted in a bankruptcy. History provides a wealth of material to teach character education, both positive and negative.

History teaches a wide range of material. It isn’t simply a litany of dead people, places, and dates. I am amazed all the time as I discover links to science curriculum and the arts in the units I teach. You can’t teach United States regions without mentioning that each region has its own ecosystem made up of specific food chains, climates, and physical features. A study of history clearly shows man’s love of the arts and it cannot be denied that once a civilization was able to maintain a steady food supply their creative ideas flowed whether on rock walls, papyrus, or cedar bark. These links provide relevance for students. It assists them to take small chunks of history squares and weave them into a knowledge quilt.

The links that students can discover between history, science, and the arts provides a well constructed framework that bond national and regional past events. This allows for comparisons with contemporary events to provide context for understanding. The American Revolution was basically our first national event. The powers that be in my home state of Georgia like for students to learn the significance of historical events as they relate to our state. Before we get into Georgia’s participation in the Revolution I have introduced the events leading to the war up to the Battle of Bunker Hill. When they realize we are going to talk about Georgia’s participation they get real excited and quickly get really upset. They are very disappointed to learn that Georgia fell very early in the war to the British. They learn that we have some war heroes but the majority of colonials in Georgia were Tories. Georgia was not the hotbed of revolution that Massachusetts or Virginia was. We then embark on a mission to understand why Georgia was not heavily involved in the independence movement.

History when presented properly lends itself to critical analysis. Even young students are capable of reviewing a series of primary and secondary resources and independently determine what happened during an event and why. This independence is a goal we have for all students throughout all disciplines of education. History is a perfect curriculum tool to practice analysis, generalizing, and inference. In fact, the Bradley Commission Report on History in the Schools (1988) states, “…history is the only avenue we have to reach an understanding of ourselves and our society. Without such understanding the two foremost aims of American education will not be achieved---the preparation of all our people for private lives of personal integrity and fulfillment, and their preparation for public life as democratic citizens.”

The question I pose in the title is a no brainer to someone like me. You see, I am one of those people who can be totally consumed by large twenty pound history tomes. I love the intrigue, story-twists, coincidences, and repetition of themes involved in history. I’ll read the history of anything. The history of butter, word histories, Mandarin Chinese, buttermilk, famous cats in history, the history of knitting, obscure African tribal histories, and yes…..American history.

I strongly identify with a character in the Kingsley Amis novel, Lucky Jim, who works in the history department of a fictitious English university when he answers the department telephone by stating, “History speaking!” We are all history every minute of every day. We participate in the history of our families, we add to the history of the corporations and businesses we serve each day at work, and we participate in history as we vote, compose a letter to our congressman or a newspaper editor or attend a demonstration or memorial.

Recently I was looking at a website attached to the University of Utah and a history professor was reporting that he had asked one of his history classes of two hundred students, “Why is history important?” A student spoke up and honestly answered very matter of factly, “It’s not important. It’s about dead people, not about me.” The professor stood his ground during a deafening round of applause from the other students and countered, “Well, I see dead people. I hear dead people and ……so will you!”

Is learning history important? You bet it is!

Begin to encourage a love of history in your students. Remind them each day that they are history by dismissing them enthusiastically with the phrase, “YOU’RE HISTORY!”

If you haven’t stopped by in awhile and you’re wondering why I’m re-running old posts click HERE for an explanation! :)

One Hundred Great American Moments in History

History is jam packed with moments…..moments great and small.
For someone like me they are all equally intriguing….all equally important though some actually get a little more play in the classroom than others.

If I had to ask you about your top ten list for events in American History more than likely we would all have varying lists with a little overlap.

I’m sure that most of you would include events from the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock, the Boston Massacre, or even Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

My events would be a little more obscure (for some)….Shay’s Rebellion, the inception of The Manhattan Project, the Election of 1800, the March on Washington Movement (1941-1947), or the Battle of Fallen Timbers.

I could go on and on and on with my list……

The folks over at Online School recently alerted me regarding their post titled One Hundred Great Moments in American History You Can Catch on YouTube. Their list includes moments involving war, presidential inaugurations, assassinations, music, sports, world ties, and so much more.

I’ve looked through their list and there are many gems there. Some that rose to the top for me include:

World War II: The Lost Color Archives: One of the most devastating wars in the history of mankind, this five part series contains many lost images of the war presented in color. There are images of many turning points in the war and even images of Hitler himself.

The Declaration of Independence: The birthing document of the United States was signed on July 4, 1776. Mel Gibson, Michael Douglas, Whoopi Goldberg, and others recite it word for word.
Gettysburg Address: Abraham Lincoln gave this speech at the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Pennsylvania on November 19, 1863, at the height of the Civil War. Actor Jeff Daniels reads it over a slideshow of historical images

Reagan’s 1964 Republican National Convention: "I think it’s time to ask ourselves if we still know the freedoms that were intened to us by our Founding Fathers."

First Moon Landing: The Russians beat the Americans to space, but Neil Armstrong played a pivotal role in history when he set foot on the moon in 1969. This short video is actual footage of the moon landing, including the historic line.

Go on…..go take a look and find something to occupy your time in a fashion that will inspire you and remind you that we do live in a great nation with a great and long history.

History Today

If you are a regular reader/subscriber to History Is Elementary then you are aware that I have had several fits and starts to my posting schedule since the latter part of August due to health concerns and two major surgeries.

Thanks for hanging in the there with me. It has been a real challenge to keep to a regular blogging schedule. I’m behind in several posting topics, and the only way I know to get rid of the many entries on my “to-do” list is to just begin wrestling them to the ground one by one.

Some time ago I became aware of History Today magazine and their blog found here. Information at the site explains…History Today delves into the deeper, historical issues that lie behind the headlines. We have been published in London since 1951.

Paul Lay, the magazine’s editor has his own blog here and the main website for the magazine can be found here along with archived articles and much, much more.

I’ve already added the sites to my blog roll. Go check them out!

13 Quotations Regarding History

Here are 13 quotations regarding history, but remember…..one lifted line doesn’t necessarily identify the person’s entire philosophy regarding the love of or the importance of history.

1. Don’t forget your history nor your destiny.
Attributed to Bob Marley

2. History makes people wise.
Attributed to Sir Francis Bacon

3. History is written by the victors.
Attributed to Winston Churchill

4. The history of the world is full of men who rose to leadership, by sheer force of self-confidence, bravery, and tenacity.
Attributed to Mahatma Ganhi

5. Ideas shape the course of history.
Attributed to John Maynard Keyes

6. I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.
Attributed to Thomas Jefferson

7. There is a history in all men’s lives.
Attributed to William Shakespeare

8. History is fables agreed upon.
Atributed to Voltaire

9. A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.
Attributed to Robert Heinlein

10. If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable must Man be of learning from experience?
Attributed to George Bernard Shaw

11. The causes of events are ever more interesting than the events themselves.
Attributed to Marcus Tulius Cicero

12. History is but a confused heap of facts.
Attributed to Miguel de Cervantes

13. History is more or less bunk
Attibuted to Henry Ford.

Other bloggers participate in Thursday Thirteen. You can locate them here

An Easy Out...But an Interesting 13 Nonetheless

The last few days have been a series of things that had to be done yesterday and lots of go-go-going. I have several projects that all seem to be converging and convening all on the same day --- reading that must be done, food that must be prepared, writing that must be done, an already burgeoning summer calendar that makes me want to stick my head in the sand, and gee…..my family might want a clean towel before the end of the week as well.

All of my teacher friends are all counting down to the last day of school just as urgently as their students. They all can tick off on their fingers an ever growing list of things that must be done before the final hooray closes out the year. Grades, awards, getting that new contract signed, next year’s grade and room assignment, report card comments, end of the year party preparation, packing if moving to a new room or school, turning in purchase order for next years supplies, meeting new team members if new teachers have been hired, field day preparations, brainstorming new and innovative methods to contain a group of kids a few days longer even through young bodies are are ready to burst at their summer seams, cleaning out files, taking down bulletin boards…..oh my gosh….the list is endless….an ever growing sinkhole of gotta do, gotta do, gotta do.

So forgive me as I resort to a method of posting that is an easy way out for any teacher of history when the entries on the to do list become a bit overwhelming……let’s focus on what happened on this day……..May 15th……in history. I’m sure you will find yourself saying as you read the list, “Oh, I didn’t know that….Oh, I forgot about that…..Huh?” Leave me a comment letting me know which item spurred you to do a quick Google gaggle to find out more.

Here are 13 events that occurred throughout history on May 15th.

1. In 1602, Cape Cod was discovered by Bartholomew Gosnold.

2. In 1862, the Department of Agriculture was created

3. In 1911, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the dissolution of Standard Oil Company, ruling it was in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.

4. In 1916, U.S. Marines landed in Santo Domingo to quell civil disorder.

5. In 1918, regular airmail service between New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, began under the direction of the Post Office Department, which later became the U.S. Postal Service.

6. In 1940, nylon stockings went on sale for the first time in the U.S.

7. In 1957, Britain dropped its first hydrogen bomb on Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean.

8. In 1964, the Smothers Brothers, Dick and Tom, gave their first concert in Carnegie Hall in New York City.

9. In 1970, U.S. President Nixon appointed America's first two female generals.

10. In 1972, Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace was shot by Arthur Bremer in Laurel, MD while campaigning for the U.S. presidency. Wallace was paralyzed by the shot.

11. In 1975, the merchant ship U.S. Mayaguez was recaptured from Cambodia's Khmer Rouge.

12. In 2003, Texas Democrats boarded two buses and returned home after a self-imposed four-day exile in Oklahoma that temporarily succeeded in killing a redistricting plan they opposed.

13. In 2006, the Pentagon disclosed the names of everyone detained at the Guantanamo Bay prison since it opened four years earlier.

If you like this 13 list, you can find all of my 13 lists here.

If you would like to find other bloggers who 13 on Thursday you can find them here.

Absolutely NO to Absolut

This image has appeared in Absolut vodka ads south of the border. This article from the LA Times states:

The billboard and press campaign, created by advertising agency Teran\TBWA and now running in Mexico, is a colorful map depicting what the Americas might look like in an "Absolut" -- i.e., perfect -- world.

The U.S.-Mexico border lies where it was before the Mexican-American war of 1848 when California, as we now know it, was Mexican territory and known as Alta California.

Following the war, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo saw the Mexican territories of Alta California and Santa Fé de Nuevo México ceded to the United States to become modern-day California, Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Arizona. (Texas actually split from Mexico several years earlier to form a breakaway republic, and was voluntarily annexed by the United States in 1846.)

The campaign taps into the national pride of Mexicans, according to Favio Ucedo, creative director of leading Latino advertising agency Grupo Gallegos in the U.S., which was not involved in the Absolut campaign.

Ucedo, who is from Argentina, said: “Mexicans talk about how the Americans stole their land, so this is their way of reclaiming it. It’s very relevant and the Mexicans will love the idea.”
But he said that were the campaign to run in the United States, it might fall flat.

Hmmmmmm…really? I wonder why?

Ucedo’s reasons why the campaign would fall flat, however, twists my bloomers a bit…..He says, “Many people aren’t going to understand it here. Americans in the East and the North or in the center of the county -- I don’t know if they know much about the history. “Probably Americans in Texas and California understand perfectly and I don’t know how they’d take it.”

While I agree that many Americans don’t know ALL of the details regarding their history…which I find sad, one thing most adults do know is the basic shape of our country on a map.

Absolut had to know this is more than just a cute little ad.

The ad's message has more than one intention, and I don’t really care if Absolut has apologized or not. The small caption published along with the map says that the ad was created for the Mexican audience only and was intended to recall “a time which the population of Mexico might feel was more ideal.”

What’s next? Will we soon be seeing ads intended for German citizens showing maps with concentration camps highlighted? Will Italians see ads showing the gradeur that was Rome by depicting Christians being torn apart by lions? What about an ad targeting Native Americans depicting North America in its natural state? In this type of context we can see how these types of things can be offensive to some.

While I agree that the examples I set out above are extreme compared to a mere image showing a map of past boundaries even a map that seems innocent enough can portray mixed messages in society. For example, think of the mixed messages if the Absolut company decided to run an ad campaign depicting a map showing the United States as it appeared in 1866 or 1867…..What types of reactions would that map garner?

Bad form, Absolut….bad form indeed.

I'm Still Spitting and Gnashing My Teeth

A recent posting by Joanne Jacobs stated:

Schools in Britain are dropping studies of the Holocaust and the Crusades to avoid offending Muslims, concludes a British government study.

It found some teachers are reluctant to cover the atrocity for fear of upsetting students whose beliefs include Holocaust denial.

There is also resistance to tackling the 11th century Crusades — where Christians fought Muslim armies for control of Jerusalem — because lessons often contradict what is taught in local mosques.

In addition, many primary teachers don’t know much history themselves, leading to shallow, simplistic and boring lessons.

My comment over at Joanne's site:

My head hurts……..this is so incredibly stupid and goes way beyond the idea of being politically correct.

Joanne, you are very correct about the level of content knowledge in elementary and some middle schools regarding history. For the most part I see teachers teaching myths or going to extremes to paint Columbus as the poster-boy for evil or as BadaBing (make sure you follow the link above to Joanne's site for the link to the Daily Mail story and read all the comments) says painting Japanese internment camps in the same way as the Nazi concentration camps.

These extremes and total eradication of certain historical events from the history curriculum as your post discusses wouldn’t be necessary without one simple word……balance. The Crusades were not about making nice. There were terrible things done on both sides. Both sides should be taught. Students are very capable of of understanding the bad as well as the good. I could go on and on, but won’t.

I’m going to go off in nice quiet corner somewhere and spit and gnash my teeth. Grrrrrrrrr…..

What's your opinion?

(The picture with this post is the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin)

Weekend Musings and a Few Links for You

As I write this my dear son and hubby keep flipping back and forth between the Falcons game and other assorted fare on television. The Falcons have fallen far behind Tampa Bay and its just too painful for them watch, I guess. I really feel sorry for the team members having to do their jobs amidst the circus that Vick created not to mention a betrayal by the coach I will not mention here. There’s always next year, but at this moment it seems a long way off. Other sports news this week included the report concerning baseball and steroids that I honestly think will go nowhere. There are too many to investigate and even innocent players will be affected. If a hitter is juicing not only is his record padded but so is the pitcher who pitched to him. Oh, what a tangled web they have woven………

Here at home Dear Son is home from college and I hope I have laid in enough food supplies to get us through at least a day or two before I have to go back to the store. He’s been busy blowing the last of the Fall leaves away from our yard. Unfortunately, with basically no rain since May he also blew up quite a dust cloud.

Even though it looked treacherous and some people were in dire straights in the Midwest earlier this week I couldn't help but be a bit envious of the precipitation that had come their way.

Dear Daughter isn’t off from school until this Friday. She’s been busy a few nights this week helping out at the local Methodist chuch with their annual live nativity. Many people from local churches, including ours, helped out. It’s nice to see everyone pitch in and help this time of year.
Home renovations continue, light fixtures have been bought, and furniture ordered, but Christmas presents????????????????

Nary a one has been bought so if any family members are reading this there is no use in plundering because there’s nothing to find! I must shop in ernest next week!

This week’s reading links include a couple of 13 lists I really enjoyed. I don’t get to read many Thursday Thirteen contributions because of time constraints but I really did enjoy
Alasandra's 13 regarding turquoise (I still have some pieces dating back to the 70s) and Denise’s 13 Things About Sir Francis Drake.

The Mom's Blogging Carnival is up over at Australian Women Online. You might recognize a contribution there and find other great reads.

The Education Carnival from this past week can be found over at The Colossus of Rhodey and a new carnival I didn’t know about till recently featured my post regarding my lobies. If you missed it you can catch it over at Carnival for Product Reviews

and finally……check out History Nexus. Information at the site states it’s a new on-line history community site. Submit and recommend a history website to others. I’ve already submitted History Is Elementary and Georgia on My Mind…..go on over and enter a comment, but be nice! :)

Teaching State History: Point/Counterpoint

Well, I’ve been walking around all weekend with with my head in my hands mainly due to my head swelling in response to a wonderful set of comments sent my way by Florida School Boss:

History Is Elementary is the best curriculum blog I have ever visited. If the teacher is as good in the classroom as she is in putting together her blog, she is an excellent teacher. She teaches Georgia and US History to upper elementary kids. Her blog has amazing articles, many with pictures, that provide great content background in US History as well as Georgia-specific history.

I appreciate your comments very, very much FSB. Can I use you as a reference some day?

However, my head was also plagued with a headache due to the remainder of FSB’s post which responded to my question, Is State History Important?, a post I wrote in July. FSB said:

One of my concerns about spending much time on Florida history, or any state history, is that the focus tends to get widened, usually due to lobbying by various interests in the state. So do kids really need to know the history of tourism in Florida? Are Mickey and Shamu really historical figures? What about the mandated survey of agriculture that happens in every state history course, no matter where in the country you happen to live? Gimme a break.

FSB...thanks for buttering me up before heaving a knife in my chest. :)

The loud windy noise you head on Friday around 4 p.m. coming from the western region of Georgia was me letting go with a heavy, heavy sigh after I read FSB's take on the teaching of state history.

Matthew Tabor instantly weighed in with his response, In Defense of Teaching State and Local History, while my response has been delayed due to that swollen and throbbing head I spoke of above, and the fact that I have tried to refrain from blogging on the weekend, so my family can see a different mommie…..one without a laptap attached to her fingers constantly.

The time gave me pause to think about the points I had made earlier, FSB’s points, and Matthew Tabor’s point of view as well. Educators should always begin examining a curriculum concern by heading straight to his or her standards (teaching objectives), and I’ve done that today, but before addressing standards I’m starting with FSB’s comments first.

It seems that one of FSB’s concerns about a year of state history, generally taught in eighth grade in many states, is he grew up in Indiana where he became an “expert” in Indiana history yet ended up spending his career in Florida. I have no clue to FSB’s academic area of expertise, however, unless he majored in Indiana history in college I don’t believe he could be considered an expert due to one year’s participation in an eighth grade history course. FSB, if I understand your logic with this point, you feel that since we don’t know the future plans of our young students a course of state history is irrelevant. People grow up and move making state history irrelevant. Is this correct?

I’m glad that curriculum experts across the country don’t follow that way of thinking. If they did I would have never been taught any Geometry. I can state emphatically I have never had to solve a geometric proof in any of the three careers I’ve had since my teen years. Throw out the reading of Poe, Melville, and Whitman because students who might grow up to be policemen really have no use for early American literature. Perhaps we should delete teaching students Linnaean Taxonomy because very few ever have to know the species, genus, family, etc. of every animal they encounter.

FSB mentioned several items covered in Indiana state history….the French trading history along Indiana’s river towns, General “Mad Anthony” Wayne, the automotive industry in Indiana, Cole Porter, Indiana high school basketball, corn, soybeans… that seem to be relevant only if you plan to make Indiana your home.

Let’s see….my fourth graders learn about river exploration and trade by the French during our explorers unit, and while we discuss the Spanish settlement along Georgia’s barrier islands and DeSoto’s jaunt through Georgia they receive another view again in eighth grade. Good old “Mad Anthony” Wayne makes an appearance in my classroom simply because he’s a great item of interest during a look a the American Revolution, and if I taught Social Studies in Indiana you bet I would add in Indiana’s automotive industry when discussing assembly lines and Henry Ford since I discuss Georgia’s own automotive industry when we get to the 1920s. Some details aren’t so unique to a particular state when you get right down to it.

Matthew Tabor’s response to the question of relevancy regarding unique details for a particular state zeroed in on an important point regarding state history:

Understanding New York State history as a student in its public schools prepared me for precisely the irrelevance that you seem to deride. I’m not a young schoolboy anymore, but throughout my adult life – during college and beyond – when I encounter unfamiliar history, I have a very easy time grasping it quickly because I can perform comparative analysis. Though I have never spent any time in Indiana, I suspect that I could have profitable, enjoyable conversations with its residents – or, in your case, a former resident.

I believe this should be the whole point for having a history course at the eighth grade level that takes into account state history details filtered through an American History framework. Eighth grade students are ready to take on American History with a different perspective…that of the state. I believe it is relevant to teach students unique details concerning their state because as they move into more sophistocated courses for Economics, Political Science, Geography, World and American History they do have something to compare and contrast with. For example, why should my Georgia students even care about the War for Texas Independence? Sure, it explains to them how Texas eventually wound up as part of the U.S. and their map finally begins to look a little more like the map they see today, but as some students say to me….so what? Little ears perk up when I tell them that Texas Independence was won with the help of several Georgians who volunteered to help Texas, and a young Georgia girl is credited with giving the state their Lone Star flag.

FSB seems concerned with spending “much time” on state history, but I don’t consider an entire year devoted to details of state history to be “much”. A quick look at Georgia’s Social Studies Standards which go into effect this year indicates the following: Grade K mainly examine symbols of America and holidays, first graders learn about American heroes, third graders begin an early look at Georgia history by learning about prominent figures in Georgia history and take a gander at the Creek and Cherokee tribes in relation to how those tribes obtain their food, shelter, and clothing from the regional resources. Fourth and Fifth grades follow a full blown course of study in American History with the Civil War being the dividing line between the two grade levels. Sixth and Seventh grade Social Studies examines regions of the world by discussing the history, economics, geography, and political systems in each region.

Early elementary curriculum focuses on basic skills and basic content in order to give students a foundation to link to the much broader course of study in the fourth and fifth grades. The World History curriculum of sixth and seventh grades also serve as a foundation for content that will become even broader in high school while the eighth grade combined state and American History course addes a new perspective while reviewing basic content before high school American History.

Now, as I mentioned at the beginning of this post any educator knows to always go to the standards when a curriculum question arises and so I did. Here are the standards for eighth grade Social Studies standards in Georgia as well as eighth grade Florida standards Notice that both courses follow an outline of American History. The standards that deal with Florida specifically are somewhat broad while Georgia’s standards are more specific noting people, places, battles etc. that the instructor should make mention of regarding state history.

So I believe it all comes down to the words “relative details” that FSB and I might disagree on. He states it isn’t important that Florida students know who Brevard, Duval, or Broward are, however, Flagler and Oscelola might hold relevance. I can see his point, however, I'm not sure why Duval wouldn't be mentioned when discussing how Florida became a territory and when looking at Native American relations with the influx of settlers under Duval's guidance. I also believe Broward deserves a mention when discussing U.S. and Cuban relations during their efforts in gaining independence from Spain since Broward and his ship The Three Friends played a role.

Certain key people are important. I believe Georgia students should know Oglethorpe by name since he is given credit as organizing the Georgia colony, however, it is no longer important for students to name every governor of the state or other various details that can now be retrieved as needed from various information sources including the Internet.

Social Studies has moved beyond name the explorer who, what year, and locate on a map type of assessments. We want students to be able to think critically about what they are learning and to connect their learning to details they haved learned in the past whether they are life long residents of a particular state or not.

I’ll admit if I was teaching state history I would prefer Georgia standards over Florida’s since they are specific as to the Georgia content that should be infused. It makes the guessing game regarding what is relevant according to state test makers much easier especially for the unfortunate teacher who moves in from another state and must take a self-directed crash course regarding state history.

It would also seem that after reading this article and after going directly to the standards my headache regarding FSB’s post has subsided. Eighth grade teachers in Florida are receiving assistance with relevant details to add in regarding Florida state history, and I would bet they receive some sort of assistance from the Florida State Education Department regarding state history details that should part of a basic framework for Florida state history….at least I hope so.

Is State History Being Erased?

I saw an article the other day from Teacher Magazine online via the Associated Press called Arkansas Historians Upset Over Curriculum. It caused me concern. Even though state law requires the teaching of state history, Arkansas educrats have proposed a new framework for teaching history that eradicates a major chunk of curriculum.

The article states:

Tom Dillard, president of the Arkansas History Education Coalition, suggested Saturday that the new guidelines for social studies, approved by the state Education Board this year, violate a 1997 state law on teaching Arkansas history and effectively reverse the group's effort of at least the last 20 years to incorporate the subject into school curricula.

The [state] board [of education] …[wishes to] combine social studies and Arkansas history into one subject for kindergartners through sixth graders and [wants to require] the teaching of world history in seventh and eight grades, typically when Arkansas history is taught.

Dillard noted that the 10-year-old state law, adopted he said after the state Education Department failed to follow through on a promise to beef up Arkansas history instruction in the schools, requires that schools teach a unit of Arkansas history as a social studies subject at each elementary grade "with greater emphasis at the fourth and fifth grade levels."

In addition, he said, the schools must teach a full semester of Arkansas history to students between the seventh and 12th grades.

A one year moratorium has been set that will keep the framework from being implemented, while the educrats and Arkansas historians fight this out. It got me to thinking, however, if educrats can attempt to do this in Arkansas, they can try to do it in my own home state of Georgia. I hope not, but since we already see a watering down of history in the schools due to testing concerns over English/Language Arts and Math, I can’t help but wonder what’s next.

In a society where we have many transient students would state history matter to them? Would any of the students benefit from it? Is the teaching of state history wasted time?

I think not as long as teachers are competent in their subject matter and capable of knowing their own weak areas in the content, so they can beef up their knowledge. State history is American history. The story is simply told from the view point of the state where the students live. It should not only be told from a textbook, but rather from the resources of the state itself. Students should be taking numerous fieldtrips during their state history course to see the wonderful historic sites their own state has to offer, and lessons should be design in such a way to allow students to discover much of the content themselves.

The goals of teaching state history are and should be no different from teaching a broader American History course. Students should acquire skills, knowledge, and values necessary to make decisions as informed decisions in a culturally diverse democratic nation and interdependent world, or as the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) states students should acquire civic competance.

But why state history? Can’t they get that from a regular American History course?

In an article published in the OAH Magazine of History titled Teaching State History: Anacronism or Opportunity, Rhoda R.Gilman proposes that state history is a natural place for demonstrating the interplay between the individual and the universal. To leave out state history is to leave the student in a vacuum where no recognition is made to the local area and its contribution to the American story. State history is the perfect vehicle to allow students to see how an area is directly involved with changes over time.

Any move to waterdown or delete the teaching of state history attacks state identity. During his farewell address in 1989 President Ronald Reagan had the teaching of history on his mind. He said the country had been failing to adequately teach children the American story and what it represents in the history of the world. “We’ve got to teach history based not on what’s in fashion, but what’s important. If we forget what we did, we won’t know who we are. I am warning of an eradication of the American memory that could result, ultimately in an erosion of the American spirit.”

State history is part of that American memory, and it should not be eradicated or left to those who are less informed to merely weave into other curricular areas. By the time students reach middle school teaching state history should not be something done as an "Oh, by the way", or as a "tack on" activity. Older students are capable of seeing far more than most think, and are able to keep up with a large cast of characters and various viewpoints. It is the perfect time to teach the American story from the state’s viewpoint. It is simply one more layer of schema for children as they progress towards their high school years.

Oh, I Love to Tell the Story...

I love to tell the story...'twill be my theme in glory...

Yes, I agree today’s title is a very great hymn, and I do love to tell “that” story best of all, but there are many other stories I can’t keep from telling in my professional life even if it means using precious minutes that should be used for unpacking those standards, assigning performance assessments, and attending the latest attempt at an educational assembly.

For example, I love to share with students the story of Washington crossing the Delaware and the events of the Battle of Trenton when the General urged his men on in crossing the icy Delaware followed by a march in the bitter cold only to discover that much of their gun powder was wet. Washington was hoping for a surprise attack on the Hessian forces led by Johann Rall. The irony in the story is not lost on my young students as they realize the stupidity of Rall. A note was found in his pocket following the battle that told advised Washington was on the move. Rall had not paid much attention to the note because he was too busy playing cards. The story of the battle gets even more interesting when students take a look at the famous painting Washington Crossing the Delaware.

I love to compare today’s media hype with those people long ago who joined the bandwagon to shout, “Remember the Maine!” In 1898, the battleship U.S.S. Maine was sent to Cuba to protect U.S. interests in the area. While at anchor in the Havanna harbor the ship blew up. While it was never determined that an unknown enemy had caused the five tons of powder on the ship to explode the U.S. media encouraged war with headlines such as “MAINE EXPLOSION CAUSED BY BOMB OR TORPEDO” and ‘THE DESTRUCTION WAS THE WORK OF AN ENEMY”. Newspaper artists even recreated images of saboteurs fastening underwater mines to the hull of the Maine even though there was no proof that those events had happened. Newspaper magnate Randolph Hurst offered a $50,000 reward for information regarding the truth. Once the “Remember the Maine” cry became viral citizens across the country were speaking out against Spain and were burning the Spanish in effigy. In recent years students have had very grown up discussions regarding how media hype can help support a war or change the popularity of a war depending on the political climate in the country.

Telling the story of little known Americans like Ike, Peter, and John (they aren’t who you think they are) are very powerful educational tools, and I love to share these seemingly unimportant Americans. Students should realize the American story can be told by normal everyday Americans and not just the ones found in their text and trade books. While our traditional historical figures provide the framework our lesser known figures and the stories of our own ancestors can help us to understand events in history.

I love telling the story behind the story---we don’t simply arrive at a point in history by magic. There is always a backstory---a web of various other stories that dovetail and fit in many different ways depending on a given point of view. For example, answering the question have we always had terrorism or is it something new can lead students in all sorts of directions.

While I understand the requirements of my position with regards to beginning at point A and arriving at point B before testing time I love to use historical stories to teach character education. I think it is very imnport to teach kids to understand what motivates someone like Benedict Arnold or what causes a great political leader like Button Gwinnett to self-destruct as he did. Teaching students to evaluate the actions of historical characters is just one step towards developing citizens that can analyze events as their life unfolds---events that effect taxes, waging war, and most importantly elections. Just imagine....a literate electorate!

There are many reasons why I love to tell the story....the main one being I'm just compelled to do it.

I love to tell the story; ‘tis pleasant to repeat
What seems each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story, for some who have never heard….

Is History Important? A Reprise

Polski3 has reviewed an article concerning the large numbers of higher learning centers that are no longer requiring any history for graduation.

As Dorothy Parker would say, “What fresh hell is this?”

Go read the rest of Polki3’s post here (Aren’t we glad he’s back to blogging!?) His observations regarding less emphasis on history at the elementary and middle levels is correct from what I can see, and my main comment to the source of this silliness is BALDERDASH!

I agree with Polski3 that we all need to make our voices heard. As NCLB is up for reauthorization we should make a plea to Congress to make sure Social Studies and Science are added to the requirements of the No Child Left Behind legislation.

One of Polski3’s commenters mentioned Richard Dreyfuss, the actor, who gave “dire predictions” in a recent interview regarding the teaching of Civics. This issue took a particular turn over at Dennis Fermoyle’s blog From the Trenches of Public Ed. Where he garnered a whopping 29 comments regarding teaching the Constitution and what some perceive as a lack of teaching in the area of Civics. You can see his post here.

So, is history important? I asked this question last January on my seventh day of blogging. I’m running it here again as I think it’s appropriate to do in light of recent events.

One reason why history is important it that the past has value to our society. Thousands of people throughout history have gone to great lengths to record history through newspapers, diaries, journals, saved letters, family Bibles, and oral traditions. It is believed that Aborigines of Australia actually managed to hang onto their history for 40,000 years by word of mouth.

History is the narrative of mankind. It provides answers as to how people lived as well as provide for us the roots to certain ideas concerning laws, customs, and political ideas. Have you ever wondered where the rude gesture of pointing your middle finger at people you are annoyed at came from? One origin story states it reportedly began at the Battle of Agincourt where the French demanded the surrender of the English longbow men. The French demand was very simple. The bowmen had to surrender immediately or upon capture they would have their middle fingers cut off. This finger was sacred to the men since it was the finger used in firing the longbow. The English response to the French demands was to raise their middle finger and raise their hands high in the air in unison for the French to view. This enraged the French who attacked immediately but were promptly obliterated by the plucky English. Think about their bravery the next time you are tempted to raise that finger.

The age-old adage, “you can’t know where you are going unless you know where you have been” is actually very true. A true scholar of history realizes history does repeat itself. This repetition has importance in society. It teaches the value of certain social changes and governmental policies. Ideas that were presented in the 1960s can be found in the writings of William Godwin in the 1790s. The Ancient Greeks redistributed wealth which was clearly repeated during the Communist regimes. It didn’t work for the Greeks and it certainly did not work for Communist Russia.Though the Greeks had strange ideas about wealth they were firm believers that history was something that people could learn from.

I began my love affair with history as an elementary student who read each and every biography my media center possessed. I was fascinated with the famous people I was learning about since they had a childhood like me and I was intrigued at the twists and turns their life took on their journey to achieve their goals. I remember particularly the biography I read about Woodrow Wilson. He held my interest because he was born in my home state of Georgia. He provided a character education lesson because he showed great tenacity as he never gave up even after several failed businesses that resulted in a bankruptcy. History provides a wealth of material to teach character education, both positive and negative.

History teaches a wide range of material. It isn’t simply a litany of dead people, places, and dates. I am amazed all the time as I discover links to science curriculum and the arts in the units I teach. You can’t teach United States regions without mentioning that each region has its own ecosystem made up of specific food chains, climates, and physical features. A study of history clearly shows man’s love of the arts and it cannot be denied that once a civilization was able to maintain a steady food supply their creative ideas flowed whether on rock walls, papyrus, or cedar bark. These links provide relevance for students. It assists them to take small chunks of history squares and weave them into a knowledge quilt.The links that students can discover between history, science, and the arts provides a well constructed framework that bond national and regional past events. This allows for comparisons with contemporary events to provide context for understanding. The American Revolution was basically our first national event. The powers that be in my home state of Georgia like for students to learn the significance of historical events as they relate to our state. Before we get into Georgia’s participation in the Revolution I have introduced the events leading to the war up to the Battle of Bunker Hill. When they realize we are going to talk about Georgia’s participation they get real excited and quickly get really upset. They are very disappointed to learn that Georgia fell very early in the war to the British. They learn that we have some war heroes but the majority of colonists in Georgia were Tories. Georgia was not the hotbed of revolution that Massachusetts or Virginia was. We then embark on a mission to understand why Georgia was not heavily involved in the independence movement.

History when presented properly lends itself to critical analysis. Even young students are capable of reviewing a series of primary and secondary resources and independently determine what happened during an event and why. This independence is a goal we have for all students throughout all disciplines of education. History is a perfect curriculum tool to practice analysis, generalizing, and inference. In fact, the Bradley Commission Report on History in the Schools (1988) states, “…history is the only avenue we have to reach an understanding of ourselves and our society. Without such understanding the two foremost aims of American education will not be achieved---the preparation of all our people for private lives of personal integrity and fulfillment, and their preparation for public life as democratic citizens.

"The question I pose in the title is a no brainer to someone like me. You see, I am one of those people who can be totally consumed by large twenty pound history tomes. I love the intrigue, story-twists, coincidences, and repetition of themes involved in history. I’ll read the history of anything. The history of butter, word histories, Mandarin Chinese, buttermilk, famous cats in history, the history of knitting, obscure African tribal histories, and yes…..American history.I strongly identify with a character in the Kingsley Amis novel, Lucky Jim, who works in the history department of a fictitious English university when he answers the department telephone by stating, “History speaking!” We are all history every minute of every day. We participate in the history of our families, we add to the history of the corporations and businesses we serve each day at work, and we participate in history as we vote, compose a letter to our congressman or a newspaper editor or attend a demonstration or memorial.

Recently I was looking at a website attached to the University of Utah where a history professor was reporting that he had asked one of his history classes of two hundred students, “Why is history important?” A student spoke up and honestly answered very matter of factly, “It’s not important. It’s about dead people, not about me.” The professor stood his ground during a deafening round of applause from the other students and countered, “Well, I see dead people. I hear dead people and ……so will you!”

Is learning history important? You bet it is!

If you agree with me and think history is important contact your Congressman and encourage him or her to include Social Studies and Science in the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act.

Keepers

Yesterday I posted a personal memory from my life. From time to time I share personal stories and pictures with my students.

Why do I do this?

It's important for students to understand the importance of history in their own lives. History should not be a litany of dates and dead people. In the primary grades students learn where they fit into the planet's hierarchy. I want students to understand that they are a participant in a family that is is directly related to a community, a state, a nation, and ultimately the world. History involves the entire hierarchy.

Historical events, though they are on a grand scale, do trickle down to individuals. These events can be kept "alive" through story telling. In this way the stories travel through time and touch future family members for years to come.

For example, I was six months old when Kennedy was assassinated. Without my family stories I would be disconnected from the events. The assassination would simply be an event in my text that I am required to know to be successful on a test. However, I have a family story to connect with JFK's death.

My mother's mother passed away very unexpectedly a few days before the assassination. Through my mother's stories I have a direct emotional bond to events I took no part in. Mom shared that her grief was so consuming---so acute--- she sat in front of the television and watched every single moment of the JFK coverage to numb her loss by mingling it with the nation's. Through her story I have an emotional connection not only to the passing of my grandmother but the passing of a president as well.

As I related in my Easter story my children never knew their great-great grandmother, however, they know which rocker is hers and speak of her as if she recently passed away. Why do they do this? My father and I have passed along stories so my children can connect to an ancestor. By doing this not only do my children have a sense of continuity and a past they also can connect to moments in history. Granny was a child of Reconstruction. She lived before electricity and indoor plumbing. She experienced World War I and II, the Cold War, Korean War, and Vietnam. Most importantly Granny experienced the fight for Civil Rights almost from its birth to the actual law and beyond. Her opinions can be expressed to her great-great grandchildren who can then have their very own primary source for understanding.

I try to get across to my students they are the next generation of keepers for the American story as well as their own personal family stories. They have a responsibility to collect family stories by listening when family members are gathered, by asking questions, and by encouraging older family members to tell their stories as well as identify people in family photos.

Encouraging students to connect their family history to the history in their textbooks provides meaning and importance for learning. It gives history a purpose.

Faith Versus History

I need to clarify some words I wrote earlier this week regarding the National Geographic show about the Gospel of Judas. I said:

"This is one Christian who doesn't think she's been lied to all these years and my opinion regarding Judas has not changed...I didn't learn anything new."

Well, don't I sound like a narrow minded pompous ass!

Many thanks to Kevin who commented,

"You've talked about challenging the traditional views of your students in the hopes of getting them to a more mature thoughtful interpretation of American History. Why is there a different standard to the historical Jesus?"

Kevin has correctly slapped my hand and I appreciate it. There shouldn't be a different standard but perhaps, just perhaps, there is a double-standard because those of us who have the ability to apply historical analysis and also have faith are afraid--------afraid they will analyze their faith until it disappears.

Rev. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Society commented on the Gospel of Judas. He said, "the Judas gospel has no bearing on the Easter story much less on the faith of the Christian church." He dismissed the gospel as "nothing more than an ancient manuscript that tells an interesting story."

Without faith isn't that a description of the entire Bible?

Monsignor Walter Brandmuller, president of the Vatican's Committee of Historical Science called the gospel "a product of religious fantasy. There is no campaign, no movement for the rehabilitation of the traitor of Jesus."

These two certainly seem to be close-minded but as spokesmen for their faith what do you expect?

I thought the National Geographic show was good. They fully explained about the supposed author(s) of the gospel strongly suggesting that the text leans towards Gnostic teachings. At the time the New Testament was canonized none of the Gnostic writings that were known at the time were included. They were thought to be radical and apparently to the two religious spokesmen above they still are.

How does a person accept the Bible literally with the knowledge that it is a human product subject to exaggerations and omissions? How do we determine the author's authority or motivation? Some would say this is where faith would enter into the picture, but it's hard to reconcile historical facts alongside a literal Bible.

Getting back to what I wrote the other day.....I didn't learn anything new other than the specific information concerning the finding and saving of the gospel. I already knew the information about how certain writings were included in the Bible while others were left out. I already knew that the early Christian church had incorrectly allowed followers to use the Bible's treatment of Judas as a reason to place the blame for the crucifiction of Christ at the feet of the Jews.

I correctly advised the other day that the special didn't change my mind about Judas, and it didn't. My mind wasn't changed because I've never really bought the whole story that Judas conspired to turn Jesus over. Jesus told Judas to go and do what he has to do. Readers have no knowledge as to what might have transpired before. Someone had to turn Jesus over.... Peter denies Jesus three times as predicted. Have we blamed Peter for 2,000 years?

I do think that the Gospel of Judas is an important find that will continue the debate for faith vesus history, but unfortunately it won't end the debate. Humans don't know the absolute truth because it is beyond us, but the journey attempting to get there certainly is interesting.

If you want to read more about faith versus history visit Kevin at Civil War Memory (see my blogroll) and read his fantastic post titled, "The Historical Jesus and the Lost Cause".

Sunday Sermon: Religion----You Can't Escape It

Sometimes I participate in a teacher’s forum at the A to Z Teacher site. Of all the teacher forums I have found it to be fairly active and current. Recently a thread began concerning a high school that had a picture of Jesus posted in the front hall of the school. Apparently the picture was placed there by the principal. Read through the entire thread here. The responses are pretty interesting. The thread eventually gets off the topic a bit and turns to Bibles in the classroom and wearing religious symbols.

I believe the placement of a picture of Jesus in the front hall of a public school sends a strong message to all members of the school community and visitors alike. I believe it could be interpreted to send a message of exclusion to faiths other than Christianity. The picture should come down or, at the very least, other pictures should go up from other faiths that are represented at the school.

It seems to me that if you choose to be religious you are choosing to live a certain way. I would expect a religious person to be religious at all times. I don’t leave my religion in the car when I arrive at school. It goes in the building with me along with my purse, keys, and bag full of “stuff” I never got to the night before.

Religion is not something you bring out on ‘your’ particular Sabbath only to pack it away until you are having a desperate moment. We should live our beliefs everyday and all day long. We should allow others to see our walk with God, Allah, etc. That being said there is a difference in living the life and putting it out there for shock value.

At the beginning of the year I introduce myself to students. I share things about my family, growing up, and I tell students I’m a Christian and attend a Baptist church. I know that from that moment on I’m watched to see if I walk the walk and talk the talk. By revealing I am a Christian I have provided students with a set of expectations concerning how they will be treated in my classroom. Here’s the important thing though….many people bash Christians saying that we are out to convert everyone. I won’t disagree. I do believe in the “Great Commission”, however, I don’t proselytize to a captive audience and would never think of doing so. The way I live my daily life is a witness to my faith and is my constant testimony.

With every job I have ever had I have made it known I was a Christian. One of the law firms I worked for in my former career was Jewish. Both partners had grown up on the Lower Eastside of New York and they were as much Yankees as I was a grits eatin’ Christian from the Deep South. They walked their walk and I walked mine. I respected their traditions and they respected mine. It was truly a learning experience for all of us. We approached our differences with tolerance, interest, and most importantly a sense of humor. We also agreed sometimes to disagree.

I have a few Bibles in my independent reading library along with books on Jewish culture and holidays. I have books regarding other world religions too along with the Koran. They are all used. One of the responses on the AtoZ thread mentioned that as a parent they wouldn’t want their child introduced to other religions or symbols. That is their job as a parent. Well, I agree and disagree. Once students get into middle grades they begin studying world religions. They will learn the symbols and they will learn the basic beliefs of the religion. Prejudice stems from ignorance. By learning about different faiths we are able to understand the differences. It doesn’t mean that anyone will be converted.

History teachers cannot escape religion. I cannot teach students about Native American tribes without discussing their religion. Religion is one of the ingredients that make a group of people a civilization along with a political system and an educational system. When we discuss various beliefs and ceremonies we discuss the difference between the lower case “g” and the upper case “G” used with the word god in their textbook.

During our discussion of exploration I must explain what a Catholic is, who the Pope is, and that Christianity is made up of many different denominations. Nine year old children, even those that are well churched simply don’t realize that a Methodist and an Episcopalian are both members of the Christian faith. They have to be told this. The Line of Demarcation was set by the Pope to end squabbling between Spain and Portugal concerning which lands they could claim in the New World. I have to set the stage and provide information to students concerning who this Pope guy is and why is he allowed to tell two countries what to do. Religion comes into the discussion during our unit on colonization. We usually complete a matrix or classification chart detailing all thirteen colonies concerning the type of colony, who settled the colony, and for what reason. Seeking religious freedom was a prime reason for the settlement of the majority of the original colonies.

Getting back to the original premise behind the thread at AtoZ and this post I attempted to find something about the high school and the picture of Jesus but I didn’t. I find it hard to believe that a principal would do something that clearly could result in a media fiasco.

In the end religion is not an evil thing to invade a classroom. It depends on how it is presented, the purpose for that presentation, and if other points of view are considered.

Is History Important?

One reason why history is important it that the past has value to our society. Thousands of people throughout history have gone to great lengths to record history through newspapers, diaries, journals, saved letters, family Bibles, and oral traditions. It is believed that Aborigines of Australia actually managed to hang onto their history for 40,000 years by word of mouth.

History is the narrative of mankind. It provides answers as to how people lived as well as provide for us the roots to certain ideas concerning laws, customs, and political ideas. Have you ever wondered where the rude gesture of pointing your middle finger at people you are annoyed at came from? One origin story states it reportedly began at the Battle of Agincourt where the French demanded the surrender of the English longbow men. The French demand was very simple. The bowmen had to surrender immediately or upon capture they would have their middle fingers cut off. This finger was sacred to the men since it was the finger used in firing the longbow. The English response to the French demands was to raise their middle finger and raise their hands high in the air in unison for the French to view. This enraged the French who attacked immediately but were promptly obliterated by the plucky English. Think about their bravery the next time you are tempted to raise that finger.

The age-old adage, “you can’t know where you are going unless you know where you have been” is actually very true. A true scholar of history, even one educated from online schools realizes history does repeat itself. This repetition has importance in society. It teaches the value of certain social changes and governmental policies. Ideas that were presented in the 1960s can be found in the writings of William Godwin in the 1790s. The Ancient Greeks redistributed wealth which was clearly repeated during the Communist regimes. It didn’t work for the Greeks and it certainly did not work for Communist Russia.

Though the Greeks had strange ideas about wealth they were firm believers that history was something that people could learn from. I began my love affair with history as an elementary student who read each and every biography my media center possessed. I was fascinated with the famous people I was learning about since they had a childhood like me and I was intrigued at the twists and turns their life took on their journey to achieve their goals. I remember particularly the biography I read about Woodrow Wilson. He held my interest because he was born in my home state of Georgia. He provided a character education lesson because he showed great tenacity as he never gave up even after several failed businesses that resulted in a bankruptcy. History provides a wealth of material to teach character education, both positive and negative.

History teaches a wide range of material. It isn’t simply a litany of dead people, places, and dates. I am amazed all the time as I discover links to science curriculum and the arts in the units I teach. You can’t teach United States regions without mentioning that each region has its own ecosystem made up of specific food chains, climates, and physical features. A study of history clearly shows man’s love of the arts and it cannot be denied that once a civilization was able to maintain a steady food supply their creative ideas flowed whether on rock walls, papyrus, or cedar bark. These links provide relevance for students. It assists them to take small chunks of history squares and weave them into a knowledge quilt.

The links that students can discover between history, science, and the arts provides a well constructed framework that bond national and regional past events. This allows for comparisons with contemporary events to provide context for understanding. The American Revolution was basically our first national event. The powers that be in my home state of Georgia like for students to learn the significance of historical events as they relate to our state. Before we get into Georgia’s participation in the Revolution I have introduced the events leading to the war up to the Battle of Bunker Hill. When they realize we are going to talk about Georgia’s participation they get real excited and quickly get really upset. They are very disappointed to learn that Georgia fell very early in the war to the British. They learn that we have some war heroes but the majority of colonials in Georgia were Tories. Georgia was not the hotbed of revolution that Massachusetts or Virginia was. We then embark on a mission to understand why Georgia was not heavily involved in the independence movement.

History when presented properly lends itself to critical analysis. Even young students are capable of reviewing a series of primary and secondary resources and independently determine what happened during an event and why. This independence is a goal we have for all students throughout all disciplines of education. History is a perfect curriculum tool to practice analysis, generalizing, and inference. In fact, the Bradley Commission Report on History in the Schools (1988) states, “…history is the only avenue we have to reach an understanding of ourselves and our society. Without such understanding the two foremost aims of American education will not be achieved---the preparation of all our people for private lives of personal integrity and fulfillment, and their preparation for public life as democratic citizens.”

The question I pose in the title is a no brainer to someone like me. You see, I am one of those people who can be totally consumed by large twenty pound history tomes. I love the intrigue, story-twists, coincidences, and repetition of themes involved in history. I’ll read the history of anything. The history of butter, word histories, Mandarin Chinese, buttermilk, famous cats in history, the history of knitting, obscure African tribal histories, and yes…..American history.

I strongly identify with a character in the Kingsley Amis novel, Lucky Jim, who works in the history department of a fictitious English university when he answers the department telephone by stating, “History speaking!” We are all history every minute of every day. We participate in the history of our families, we add to the history of the corporations and businesses we serve each day at work, and we participate in history as we vote, compose a letter to our congressman or a newspaper editor or attend a demonstration or memorial.

Recently I was looking at a website attached to the University of Utah and a history professor was reporting that he had asked one of his history classes of two hundred students, “Why is history important?” A student spoke up and honestly answered very matter of factly, “It’s not important. It’s about dead people, not about me.” The professor stood his ground during a deafening round of applause from the other students and countered, “Well, I see dead people. I hear dead people and ……so will you!”

Is learning history important? You bet it is!

Begin to encourage a love of history in your students. Remind them each day that they are history by dismissing them enthusiastically with the phrase, “YOU’RE HISTORY!”