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

[eternal-chaplain]

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

Living in Georgia, I'd assume it is covered there much like slavery is covered here: we admit it was wrong, recognize our mistakes, but we can laugh at it because our views and their's are not at all connected and we view it no differently than the rest of the world at this point because that time and place is a world away from ours.

 

[Dimitriov]

Reading through this thread, is starting to give me an appreciation for what Canada teaches about history. We cover a lot of ground seemingly in regards to both North America and Europe. Though I must say we still omit a lot about the rest of the world.

All of which makes me rather sad, history is important and fascinating. Of course I am starting university with the intent of getting at least a Masters degree in history so I admit a bias towards the subject

 

[LobsterFeng]

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

My german teacher talks about that alot. Basically she said that from a young age children are taught that what happened was a part of their history and that its their obligation to make sure it never happened again. They are taught about all the horrible and also good things the Nazi government did.

That's good to know. I think all countries should teach about the bad parts of history. I mean America has slavery, but instead of trying to pretend it didn't happen, we spend a lot of time learning about the injustices that revolved around it. So we can know how to not let something like that happen again. That's pretty much why we study history in the first place too, to learn from past mistakes.

 

[devotedsniper]

Never did that at school, we always did medievil times, spanish armarda, tudors and the world wars for history. We never touched American history.

 

[TiloXofXTanto]

The same way the American Revolution is taught in China...
Or the same way the Haitian Revolution is taught in France.....
Probably.

 

[SHIFTYMACO]

Yeah the war of independence really isn't a big deal in the UK and we simply don't study it at all.

You have to see it through our eyes.

At the time of the revolution we were busy owning practically everything in the world that was worth owning. We were fighting practically everywhere constantly from about 1700 through to 1900 and while we lost a few we won most.

So while the revolution was clearly a big deal for America since you're history is kinda pathetically short and you've flourished so much since, as far as our culture is concerned, it was a tiny unimportant conflict in an unimportant colony for us.

That is 100% correct,

They were more worried about the french, Spanish and the rest of Europe than America, India was more important than America by a 1000 times, And if the British wanted to bring America into line they would have crushed them. They just had bigger fish to fry! its well documented.

And as for WW2 for the Germans and Japs, Vietnam for the Yanks ect ect, Nobody like focusing on their past failures and douchbagness.

The Korean war isnt taught in Australia at all.
I guess that's why its know as the forgotten war!
Lest we forget!

 

[Valiant The Gamer]

In The Netherlands, we don't have anything about it only about American economy and Patriotism.
Instead we get the Indonesian war for indepence.

 

[LostAlone]

America was on Frances side btw. Bet you don't get taught that either.

Actually, the role of the French in our own revolution is emphasized quite heavily, at least in the liberal state (Massachusetts) where I grew up (it may be different in Kansas.)

But I don't recall the U.S. having much to do with the Napoleonic Wars save for distracting the Brits for a little bit between 1812 and 1814.

America never fought on land during the Napoleonic wars, but they were defacto at war with Britain since the end of revolution, and had fun attacking our shipping for many many years. When the crunch came, America made no difference at all, but they were on the highly democratic and utterly non-monarchist Emperor Napoleons side.

 

[Saelune]

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

Its called history class. The American Revolution involed England, so its not arrogant to assume they might teach some of England's history in their class. It would maybe be arrogant to assume every country teaches it, but not the other side of the conflict.

 

[LinwoodElrich]

America was on Frances side btw. Bet you don't get taught that either.

This is quite heavily taught actually and in fact I think we can say without a doubt that if not the deciding factor France's participation certainly saved thousands of American lives and was an immense help.

 

[silverdragon9]

Seem to be noticing a trend where most of history is not touched upon. USA we gloss over any war we didn't win, skip over a vast majority of the time we Aren't in war, and even WW II and the Holocaust got minimum coverage. Did i mention i never heard of the war of 1812 or that we invaded japan back when we still used wooden boats? Yeah thank god for Wikipedia because never learned nay of that.

I guess the whole world just forgets about huge chunks of history like they didn't exist.

BTW almost forgot; that bit where we used the Cavalry to butcher Indians? Yeah we covered that as Indian heritage only we ignored all battles and treat it as if it was a bloodless negotiation that didn't cost any lives but the guys that got sick from drinking dirty water.

History is written by the victor and the victor omits ANYTHING they don't agree with.

sounds like you just had s**ty teachers.

 

[LostAlone]

America was on Frances side btw. Bet you don't get taught that either.

This is quite heavily taught actually and in fact I think we can say without a doubt that if not the deciding factor France's participation certainly saved thousands of American lives and was an immense help.

I stand corrected then.

Its rather unlike the states to admit they were on the side that lost.

 

[UmJammerSully]

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

I'm English and this literally made me facepalm.

But yes, as said already it's just not taught at all. At least it wasn't when I was in school about 5 years ago. To be perfectly honest, I still don't know a whole lot about it. Looks like I've got a whole lot of wikipedia-ing to do tonight.

 

[LinwoodElrich]

Its rather unlike the states to admit they were on the side that lost.

This is the problem with modern education however, that we breed the bigotry into each generation. Unfortunately I live in a country where many of our people have been vocally bigoted and travel a lot, making *sses of themselves and so we get that kind of attitude.

 

[gbemery]

Even if you look at it from a philosophical point of view where the main reason for people going to the colonies was for religious opportunities.

Again, thats what gets taught because y'all live there.

What we get taught is that some religious minorities who were too mental to be happy anywhere in what had become by then a reasonably tolerant Europe got tossed in a boat and told to GTFO. Its all perspective...

lol of course its about perspective. again that is the whole idea behind this thread from what I gathered. "What is the perspective of history from other countries?" I have a feeling you think that point eludes me but it doesn't, I might just not be conveying it well. Either way it is what I was interested in, getting different viewpoints of history. Its just like how in history classes over here, unless you get a class about a specified time frame or subject matter, most teach the revolutions in Europe as summarized bullet points. Those of which are taught in the over all history in a chapter usually by centuries.