How is the American War for Independance taught in the UK?

[Vakz]

The stuff above goes for more countries than just the UK. I don't remember ever being taught it here in Sweden either, and I even took extra history-classes. You just get to remember when america was discovered, when it was colonized, when it became independent, etc. I believe the civil war took up more time than the independence war.

 

[MrFluffy-X]

its not really taught here, dont think its seen as a big thing outside the US, however we do learn about the US presidents (mainly JFK). I remember in 2nd year of high school I had to put together an essay on who I thought killed JFK...I hated history so I said it was his evil twin brother or something stupid like that...that teacher hated me good times

 

[mrscott137]

I don't think it's covered in the curriculum, or generally comes up anywhere. My impression was that we had a little war where we couldn't muster enough resources to kill all the rebellers and just kinda let them have their thing. Yeah, I don't know much about the topic from my experiences.

 

[Eikoandmog]

Yeah, it's not taught in Australia either, much like how the federation of Australia wouldn't be covered in US schools. It's really not that important to us. Modern History beyond the mandatory level generally likes to stick with the wars but I think you can do US history at some point depending on what the teacher thinks will be more interesting.

 

[maninahat]

WTF? How the hell is it arrogant to think a piece of history be mentioned. And since it INVOLVED England, then why wouldn't it at least be mentioned. Typical wherever the hell you are from smugness of being an ass.

I gotta say that that statement coupled with your avatar pic made me laugh pretty hard.

Also I agree. I am not American but it's not much of a leap to say that the American War of Independence had a major impact on global history (have you heard of the US? I am guessing you have.) And in England's case it was indeed a major loss of territory and prestige, they had only just gained control of Quebec from the French with the aid of the thirteen colonies.

Far less significant in the short term. Britain wasn't just at war with America, it was at war with the French, Spanish and the Dutch. And the losses England had in the US were considered negligible compared to the gains they made in India and the defense of her homeland. As far as Britain was concerned, the loss of the colonies might have been unfortunate, but it was only one territory in a far greater war. As it was only a new still-developing nation, and as it became apparent the British would have to sink more money into the country to keep it under control, Britain lost its incentive to keep it. Empire's don't work out if they end up spending more money suppressing a place than they actually gain from owning that land. Britain's disinterest in the subject is a lot like other Empire's (Spain and the Dutch, for instance). It tends to look like this:


Also, in answer to the original question: I wasn't taught about the American revolution at all. Most of British history goes without mention. Rather than give a broad, simple history of everything the UK did (we have a lot of that to get through), educational institutes prefer to focus very specifically on certain areas, and to go into great detail with theim. I studied 20th Century history, which basically consisted of only four topics: The Great Depression, Prohibition, British Liberal Reforms, and the hiatus between WWI and II (fall of Weimar/rise of Nazis). In history, the emphasis is less on giving a comprehensive history of everything and more on teaching kids how to analyze historical events.

 

[Iron Mal]

I have to admit that most of my knowledge of the American war of Independance actually comes either from questions I've asked my family or from my own research (also, things such as films and documentaries about it), our schools didn't really cover it that much quite simply because to us it wasn't really a massive thing (note how we don't celebrate the 4th of July like the US does), from what I was told our reason for defeat was that after a while we simply couldn't be bothered and had more pressing matters that we needed our men for so we just pulled out and let you have your country (information courtousy of my Dad).

To this I have to ask, is Henry the VIII's dismantling and reconstruction of the Church of England or the British Civil War and the founding of Parliment after that ever brought up within American classrooms?

 

[Para199x]

Typical American arrogance to assume it's taught at all.

Umm...not really. It was sort of a big deal. To actually go against a major power and win wasn't really all that common of an occurance. It also seems like it's be something of an important thing to learn about considering that a lot of people consider it to be the turning point in colonialization and whatnot. Not to mention the fact that we fought the British again not a whole hell of a lot later in the War of 1812. It's a legitimate question.

I'd never even heard of the war of 1812 till somebody mentioned it on a forums somewhere, I'll be fair I didn't take my education in history beyond the compulsory age (16 here). But when I did read up on it, it sounded like and was mentioned as being (seen by us at least) as a sideshow to the napoleonic wars.

Also, in answer to the original question: I wasn't taught about the American revolution at all. Most of British history goes without mention. Rather than give a broad, simple history of everything the UK did (we have a lot of that to get through), educational institutes prefer to focus very specifically on certain areas, and to go into great detail with theim. I studied 20th Century history, which basically consisted of only four topics: The Great Depression, Prohibition, British Liberal Reforms, and the hiatus between WWI and II (fall of Weimar/rise of Nazis). In history, the emphasis is less on giving a comprehensive history of everything and more on teaching kids how to analyze historical events.

also this

 

[Vault101]

With a lot of you guys from across the Pond I am very curious as to how the UK treats this part in your history.

this makes me think...it shouldnt be taught any "way" it should be taught just with the facts, I know thats more wishfull thinking than anything

I mean in Australia...our history of how we dealt with the aboriginal people is taught...and NOT glossed over in anyway

although thease days how you could justify taking children away fro their parents (I mean yeah theres another side of the story but it was still wrong)

 

[maninahat]

So do they teach the American Revolution in the Uk as an English civil war with the English fighting the English or not?

Nah they were fighting colonists. Those filthy, filthy colonists...wait, I'm one of them.

That is the funny thing to me, I have heard people from the UK talk about the colonists as if they are like completely different from them, when they are actually all English and have the same history. LOL

Well not really. I mean, when we decide to break off and form our own country you kind of have to stop refering to yourself by the old name.

I don't know, maybe because I am Native American I still view them as English invaders. LOL

TV shows of the revolution tend to try and differentiate the British and the US colonists as much as possible. That is why the US characters have modern US accents, and the British have modern British accents, even though they would have both sounded fairly similar at the time. Most annoying is when Thomas Paine gets given a heavy American accent by tea-party guys, ignoring the fact that Thomas Paine was born in the UK (and that Paine actually like liberal policies).

 

[jaykikass]

Ive seen it mentioned but as has been stated before unlike america we have the stone,bronze,iron,dark, medieval, renaissance eras to cover as well.. so we dont spend much time on American history..
In year 9 we covered the american west briefly and also Vietnam in greater depth (had to do course work..)
Now i'm in 6th form i am doing a level history and we mentioned the american civil war and its part in the British reform acts of the 19th century...
But i have been taught in British schools the following topics in history ranging from year 7 to 12
in no particular order
Greeks
Romans
Celts
Elizabethan England
Vietnam
Cold War
World War I
World War II
Napoleonic wars
British political history
Russian revolutions
Japan
Rights of Women
British Empire
English civil war
History of medicine
and a few others i cant remember..

 

[Yoh3333]

I can say that for Denmark, it's actually quite a big part of the english lessons. We hear more about America than we do about Britain which i find odd.
We didn't go into great detail of the battles fought but we did learn alot about the independence and why they did it.

 

[Kathinka]

I've wondered this before. I also wonder how World War 2 and the Holocaust are covered in Germany.

having been partially educated in germany i can answer that. they teach world war two and the holocaust without a blindfold, in all it's evilnes and gore. the only good way to teach it. when i was in the u.s. i found it kind of redicolous that there can't be any graphic pictures in the school books. how are you supposed to teach them the horrors of war if not by letting them see the guts^^

on a semi-related note, when i went to school in the u.s. it was remarkable how far historical accuracy is bent in favor of patriotism. for example the american revolution was taught as if the colonist rebels were heavily outnumbered by the brittish military juggernaut of an army. while everyone who looks into the matter a little more will learn that the french and american forces had the advantage in numbers and supply (fighting on home turf and all).
similar with second world war, where the american role was greatly exaggerated. it was taught as if america came to the rescue of the poor world under the jackboot of the nazis. while in reality when the u.s. quit sitting on their thumbs and landed in france in mid 44 the war already pretty much over and the soviet troops had already done the vast majority of the fighting

 

[RuralGamer]

We were taught the following in school;
The Norman Invasion of Britain
Scottish Wars of Independence (I am Scottish after all )
Causes and lead-up to the First World War
Nazi Germany, its origins and effects
Road to Indian Independence 1850s-1948
Industrial Revolution in the UK (and a bit in Europe)
Political and Social Reform in the UK late 1700s - Present
Road to the Russian Revolution and the immediate aftermath

America never really factored into any of these so no, no real discussion or such on it. It was mentioned, but oddly it was more talked about in Modern Studies from an objective point of view, mainly to do with the creation of American-style capitalism.

 

[Nerfherder17]

it was never taught

 

[Silenttalker22]

I've wondered this before. I also wonder how World War 2 and the Holocaust are covered in Germany.

I remember hearing that Japan and Germany only cover this topic in very broad strokes, there was a discussion I had when I went on holiday to Japan with a teacher that had never even heard of Pearl Harbour.

I recently worked with a fellow former-Navy sailor, who was stationed in Japan for 5 years, is married to a Japanese woman, and now moved back there (to give you some context of the source). I asked him about WW2 schooling there, and he said there are entire sections of the population that think they were the victims of our attacks, because they weren't taught Pearl Harbor.

So yah, while I understand the validity of the revolution being a brief instance in the grand history of Europe (much of which I DID learn about in plain ol' public school), it's just as true that any curriculum is gonna focus on what it wants to.

Incidentally, my first experience on the subject of British relations was on a deployment stop in Palma De Majorca in Spain, where I met an intoxicated young british fellow who cheerfully asked if we (americans) had issue with them, to which I said hell no, which was followed by celebrating international relations over beer.

Can't we all just get a long

 

[Tallim]

It was mentioned as I recall but English history goes back a long way and covering any of it in depth would take a much longer time than most compulsory History lessons could go into.

I remember my history lessons included the Roman Invasion around 55-54 BC. We did various eras and apart from WW2 there was barely any time to do anything in depth.

There was a civil war, restoration of the monarchy and a revolution in the hundred or so years before the War of Independence which were all major events as well.