Is history really an accurate explanation of the past? Or is it just chosen information about certain countries and lives of certain men? Yes, men.
First off, some of the things we learn in school include that Columbus was a hero. Like I said in my last blog, why? For triggering the extinction of entire populations of people? Or for causing such damaging after effects that countries are still suffering today: 521 years later. Which one of these make him deserve a national holiday in his honour? Exactly. That's the first thing I'm starting to realise: history is written by the winner. So much information is kept back, withheld or just marked not important enough to teach. History is biased beyond belief and yet we're led to the assumption that it's just straight facts. We learn what Columbus accomplished. And that the United States being what it is today is all thanks to him. Not how the Haitians, Native Americans and more suffered. Why not? Rarely did they have the chance to write and publish their side. And even if they did, we don't learn about it in history class. Which leads to less number two: history class is nothing. Yes it's a start, but knowing only what you learn in class is nowhere near what you should know.
For example, were you aware that, in the 11th century, between the time of the Scandinavian Vikings in what is today North America and the time of the Native Americans, the Chinese claim to have visited the continent?
All this North America talk, it's all just examples. But, why don't we learn about the things I mentioned in the last blog? Why don't we learn that every day the same number of people die in the Democratic Republic of Congo extracting resources that did in 9/11? That's 2,753 people. Everyday. All for the ore Coltan that we "need". Why don't we learn that? Because we know it's our fault? That it's for our mobile phones that they die? Because the truth makes us feel too guilty? Hiding the truth is just as bad as lying. The same thing applies to the Paraguayan Soya crisis (where the mass production of soya for cattle in the US and Europe creates havoc on the population and the environment) and many other issues we now face.
To me, it feels like history always focuses on the same countries. That is what we learn in class. We learn about the United States and Europe, with some points on Africa, China and India. What about Latin America? When was the last time you talked about that corner of the world in history class? What about Australia? The only time we talked about Haiti in class was for one minute, saying it was one of the poorest countries in the world, and that subject only came up when my teacher found out I was coming. Why? Why do some countries deserve more awareness than others?
Next, is it just me or do we usually, 90% of the time, only learn about the white man in history? It is his story. We never learn about what it was like for the slave, for his wife and kid. We don't learn about woman who had an impact on history. ACS 10th graders, name me one woman we talked about in Globals 9. The only woman I can think of that we talked about, ever (in any grade) is Rosa Parks. That's it. Why?
So, not only is our history missing a lot of information and points of view, it's biased. And as if that's not enough, it's sexist too now?
I know we're an American school, so we have to talk about North America, but I'm not just talking about our school. And I'm not only talking about history in class either. Just in general. Overall. (Yes, I know that I'm only 15 and still have many years of learning ahead, but still, the way history is presented is still skewed).
This is just another example of how much information is withheld from us and how much we just don't know about. Our knowledge is, in almost every way, limited.
LM
First off, some of the things we learn in school include that Columbus was a hero. Like I said in my last blog, why? For triggering the extinction of entire populations of people? Or for causing such damaging after effects that countries are still suffering today: 521 years later. Which one of these make him deserve a national holiday in his honour? Exactly. That's the first thing I'm starting to realise: history is written by the winner. So much information is kept back, withheld or just marked not important enough to teach. History is biased beyond belief and yet we're led to the assumption that it's just straight facts. We learn what Columbus accomplished. And that the United States being what it is today is all thanks to him. Not how the Haitians, Native Americans and more suffered. Why not? Rarely did they have the chance to write and publish their side. And even if they did, we don't learn about it in history class. Which leads to less number two: history class is nothing. Yes it's a start, but knowing only what you learn in class is nowhere near what you should know.
For example, were you aware that, in the 11th century, between the time of the Scandinavian Vikings in what is today North America and the time of the Native Americans, the Chinese claim to have visited the continent?
All this North America talk, it's all just examples. But, why don't we learn about the things I mentioned in the last blog? Why don't we learn that every day the same number of people die in the Democratic Republic of Congo extracting resources that did in 9/11? That's 2,753 people. Everyday. All for the ore Coltan that we "need". Why don't we learn that? Because we know it's our fault? That it's for our mobile phones that they die? Because the truth makes us feel too guilty? Hiding the truth is just as bad as lying. The same thing applies to the Paraguayan Soya crisis (where the mass production of soya for cattle in the US and Europe creates havoc on the population and the environment) and many other issues we now face.
To me, it feels like history always focuses on the same countries. That is what we learn in class. We learn about the United States and Europe, with some points on Africa, China and India. What about Latin America? When was the last time you talked about that corner of the world in history class? What about Australia? The only time we talked about Haiti in class was for one minute, saying it was one of the poorest countries in the world, and that subject only came up when my teacher found out I was coming. Why? Why do some countries deserve more awareness than others?
Next, is it just me or do we usually, 90% of the time, only learn about the white man in history? It is his story. We never learn about what it was like for the slave, for his wife and kid. We don't learn about woman who had an impact on history. ACS 10th graders, name me one woman we talked about in Globals 9. The only woman I can think of that we talked about, ever (in any grade) is Rosa Parks. That's it. Why?
So, not only is our history missing a lot of information and points of view, it's biased. And as if that's not enough, it's sexist too now?
I know we're an American school, so we have to talk about North America, but I'm not just talking about our school. And I'm not only talking about history in class either. Just in general. Overall. (Yes, I know that I'm only 15 and still have many years of learning ahead, but still, the way history is presented is still skewed).
This is just another example of how much information is withheld from us and how much we just don't know about. Our knowledge is, in almost every way, limited.
LM
