Over the summer I got myself involved in my county’s republican committee. Through that I found all sorts of devilish fear mongering trouble to keep myself occupied, not the least of which was starting a college republicans group at my own college 
. As I am nearing the end of my under-graduate degree (I’m on the 6 year, super-duper senior track…don’t judge) I have been reflecting on education; what I’ve perceived to work, what doesn’t work, what are some areas lacking, what areas are doing well, etc. The one area that I can say without a doubt is lacking across the board at every public school and nearly every university is history.
Somehow, somewhere, we got it stuck in our minds that history is boring and not important. Au contraire mis amigos. While most courses taught in school are very much important, history is one of the most important things we could learn, and not just because I say so (though that should be reason enough.) We can relate to history because history enriches our culture. It reveals to us where our ancestors have been, what they have done, where they came from, and why. History teaches us cause and effect, what works and what does not, what is needed when, and when what was needed is no longer necessary. History provides us a picture of our future by showing us winning and losing combinations. Unfortunately, all too often, history gets to repeat itself. Why? Because we don’t know it. So why is it that history is often taught by a coach that really could not care less about history unless it happens to be the scores to last night’s basketball/football/baseball game? How did we grow so apathetic toward our own culture?
Enter public education. Is it a conspiracy propelled by political motive? Perhaps. Of course, public schools can only do so much. However, doesn’t it make sense for a federally funded education to, I don’t know, educate children on what and who is funding their education? Doesn’t it seem logical for the government to ensure that the next generation leading our nation knows what has happened so that our nation can progress and continue to be a leading world power? Did you catch my mistake in this paragraph? I used the words “logical” and “government” in the same sentence, now the internet will implode….
But seriously, the degeneration of history education began long before the No Child Left Behind Act, and even before standardized testing. It seems that much of the breakdown occurred when liberals tried to politically correct everything and remove religion from schools. What so many Americans don’t understand is that history is not just events that have occurred. History is comprised of culture, philosophy, religion, politics and government, this list goes on. Religion is so very much a part of history that to sterilize history of religion is to remove its meaning and purpose altogether. It simply cannot be done while still retaining the meaning and gravity of history.
You may ask what the government gains from ignorant citizens, the answer is simple; power. When the people forget, the ruling body is free to do as they please. It’s the most stealthy form of brain-washing because it doesn’t tell you anything, and that’s the precisely the point. The most dangerous weapon against a corrupt government is a keenly educated population….or a nuke. When Americans forget how bad socialism is for the individual as well as the nation the power hungry bureaucrats are free to pursue their self-serving, anti-American motives. The United States is what it is because millions of people fought to make it so, and preserve it as such.
Without a clear understanding history (both American and world) we WILL lose our nation. There’s no doubt about it. To understand where we are going, we have to know where we were, and where we are.
Opinions, questions, criticism, I welcome them all.
elizabethnokleby
Bethy,
Great post. As a history nerd, I couldn’t agree more with the need for good history. However, though liberals are no friends of history, in my experience, neither are conservatives.
In the introduction to a book on Reformation martyrology, Notre Dame professor Brad Gregory laid out his historical method. He pointed out that both sides have essentially looked back into history to see what they wanted to see. While this is sadly true in church history, it is also painfully obvious in other areas. Take, for instance, presidential history. Both parties claim heritage to Abraham Lincoln, but each party only focuses on the aspects of his presidency that are positively viewed today by their voter base. Meanwhile, neither party is particularly interested in remembering that he threw the state legislature of Maryland in prison in order to keep them from seceding, or that he jerrymandered the entire territory of Nevada so they could vote for him in the 1863 election, or that he offered to reinstitute slavery in the South AFTER the emancipation proclamation (which only applied to slaves in southern states by the way) in order to maintain the unity of the nation.
The point is that history is harder than science and math at the same level. Math and science can, usually, be explained by simple universally true rules. Ask a history professor “Why?” and strap yourself in for a dissertation. History is more art than science; more craft than discovery.
But I think there is also another simple explanation for why we don’t focus on it: it doesn’t grow industry. Business, engineering, biochemistry, architecture, agriculture – these are the building blocks of economy, and they are all math and science based. In a world where culture = economy, this is a sad reality.
Cory,
. “Conservative history” and “liberal history” are equally bad, it is a fine line we must tow to get balanced and accurate history, but it’s not impossible. It does not suffice to say that history is harder so we don’t do it. Children are in school for 12 years, we can teach them what they need to know in that time.
Thanks for the read! I knew I’d get you here someday
You make a good point in that history does not directly grow economy. However, when the historically ignorant population is electing historically ignorant legislators industry not only halts, it tucks tail and runs. Proper historical education would not only help the public to vote for legislators that would increase and improve industry, we would also certainly see a more stable economy emerge.