Lies they teach you in HIstory class

[Shoqiyqa]

You're quoting a politician?

Come back when you have a counter that actually makes sense, eh?

Come on. Really. Of all the unreliable sources in the world, you picked one of the two most famous examples. Unless he was a lawyer as well, it'd be hard to trump that!

...

So, are they teaching "why we invaded Iraq" in history classes yet, and if so which lie(s) are they teaching?

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To Greyfox's question: at least it did end. We've still got one town stuck in WWII [http://thecapitalscot.com/pastfeatures/berwick.html]!

 

[hermes]

Lie#whatever - Columbus set off to discover that the world was round. He set off to find wealth, landed in America (decades after John Cabot, the first european), found a native tribe, and forced them all into slavery, dismembering those who failed, and ended up wiping the tribe out. In short, a monster.

I think you are confusing Columbus with much darker men like Pizarro and Cortes. Columbus came to America in search of a trade route and to establish diplomatic relations with (what he thought was) India and China, following Marco Polo's steps.

After that, a lot of men (Portuguese and Spanish, mostly) came back with a lot of death sentenced convicts to rob, kill and violate...

 

[gh0ti]

Such as? Germany's allies had all signed armistice agreements before the end of 1918 - the Ottomans, Bulgarians and Austro-Hungarians all stopped fighting before Germany.

Yes, all of Germany's Allies

I'm going to stay evasive until someone figures it out

Alright, you got me interested now. So, you're saying that the war carried on beyond 1918 even though Germany, the Ottomans, the Russians and the Austro-Hungarians had all ceased hostilities? ANOTHER EDIT: I can't find any record of fighting beyond 1918. Like I said, even though official peaceful relations weren't agreed until 1919, it's much more helpful to talk about when the actual fighting stopped.

Who the hell is there left? EDIT: If you're talking Berwick (or a similar legal oddity), then I'm afraid that's a myth. If Berwick wasn't included in any declaration of war, why should they be included in any ceasefire documents? - This one applies to the Crimean War.

And a LIE: People in the Middle Ages rarely lived into 'Old Age'. Actually, although many, many people died young, those who avoided the high rates of infant mortality could expect to live what we would consider reasonably long lives.

 

[Zombie Badger]

Lie#whatever - Columbus set off to discover that the world was round. He set off to find wealth, landed in America (decades after John Cabot, the first european), found a native tribe, and forced them all into slavery, dismembering those who failed, and ended up wiping the tribe out. In short, a monster.

I think you are confusing Columbus with much darker men like Pizarro and Cortes. Columbus came to America in search of a trade route and to establish diplomatic relations with (what he thought was) India and China, following Marco Polo's steps.

After that, a lot of men (Portuguese and Spanish, mostly) came back with a lot of death sentenced convicts to rob, kill and violate...

Nope, he did that, after landing at America while trying to find a trade route to the East.

 

[Rorschach II]

It was when my History teacher told me that Teddy Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt were brothers.

I was the one to correct her.

Im not sure if that counts mainly because it was out of her stupidity rather than a lie.

 

[xxcloud417xx]

BIGGEST LIE THEY TELL YOU UPON ENTERING HISTORY CLASS :

Teacher: "History class is fun!"

 

[Ph33nix]

Lie #5
The Pilgrims didn't actually pull themselves up by their boot straps. The stole from native american grave sites and also stole their food. There was not much hard work on their part the first year, at least not in the way we were told. Many of them did die in the first year.
Lie #6
The USA didn't defeat Soviet Russia. Reports were issued by economists and professors to the US gov in the 1960's that communism, the way it was set up in Russia, would collapse on its own, either that or be seriously and radically altered, in the next 20 years.

Yea also to add on to the pilgrims thing, it is often implied that the Mayflower was the first European ship of settlers, but this is not true. In fact some of my ancestors come from Jamestown which preceded the the landing of the Mayflower by over 10y ears.
The Russian thing is interesting, I didn't know that exactly but it did seem a bit weird the we we were said to have defeated them.

Here's another.
World War one didn't end until 1919.
which also throws out the 'fact' that 1919 was supposed to be the only year when there wasn't a war :|

Yea, I think I remember something about that. Also,in the US we claim that WWII started in 1941 when Europe puts the date at 1939,while Hitler gained power even before that.

on the WW2 thing Americans don't consider it a world war until 1941 because thats when the United states entered and the scale of the war doubled with the opening of the Pacific front. In Europe The invasion of Poland is considered the beginning of WW2 because around 30 countries where at war starting then (most of the countries where small states)

 

[TopGearFTW]

Henry The VIII didn't really have 6 wives. He had 1. Or 3 . Henry's 4th marriage to Anne of Cleves was annulled. Annulment is different to divorce. Allulment means that legally the marriage never happend. Anne was already betrothed to another man and at that time this was a legal bar to marrying another.

The Pope declared Henry's 2nd marriage illegal as he was still married to his 1st wife at the time. In response Henry claimed his first marriage was illegal as he couldn't marry his brothers widdow according to the bible. Depending on whether you believe the Pope or the king (also Head Of The Church Of England) thats down to 4 or 3 marriages depending on who you believe.

Henry annulled his marriage to Anne Boleyn and then charged with adultery. Which makes little sense. If they where never married who could she cause the offence?

He did the same with his 5th wife, Catherine Howard. Henry also passed an act that made it treason to commit adultery against the king after having the marriage annulled.

Nice copy-pasta from Q.I.'s Book of General Ignorance rite thar >___>

I wish I could add to this thread, but while I do A-Level History, we are studying Britain 1780-1914 and Stalin.

 

[Kair]

Democracy is a form of Capitalism, Communism is a form of Socialism, and Fascism is Socialist with some Capitalistic elements.

No. Just wrong.

Communism is an ideology and the end-product of socialism, which is a product of the communist ideology. Democracy is a form of rule where the power is divided.

 

[barryween]

This has probably been said (maybe) but they act like the whole Rosa Parks bus thing wasn't planned and she did it on a whim. Bull shit her feet hurt so bad she decided not to walk 10 feet to the back. That whole thing was planned. It being planned doesn't make it any less good but still, it was planned.

 

[Death_Korps_Kommissar]

Lie #1
Communism and Fascism are opposites. The truth is they are both totalitarian governments run by dictators who oppose individuality. In fact the Nazis were the National Socialist German Worker'S Party.
Lie #2
Europe was better under Stalin than Hitler. The fact is Stalin was responsible for more deaths in Europe than Hitler was.

Lie #1
Okay first of the National Socialist German Worker's Party was a party Hitler had to infiltrate when he was in the party and just corrupted it to his own means and used the name as a disguise for his own intent. Also the only reason that Soviet Russia was a totalitarian government was when the communist party first came to power all other parties, the russian orthodox church and 17 foreign powers invaded and we defeated by the Red Russians.
Lie#2
Stalin tried his best to keep everyone happy as Russia was helping countries all over the world and not helping itself. That is why the Soviet Union eventually collapsed due to so much money going out of the country and the pressure from the Americans and N.A.T.O

This is from my point of view that was explained to me by my father, he said that most shit about Commie russia is Capitalist propaganda but for all I know his is just his Communist propaganda =/

 

[barryween]

This has probably been said (maybe) but they act like the whole Rosa Parks bus thing wasn't planned and she did it on a whim. Bull shit her feet hurt so bad she decided not to walk 10 feet to the back. That whole thing was planned. It being planned doesn't make it any less good but still, it was planned.

The NAACP paid her to do it, iirc.

Yeah, i remember she was paid by some organization. Remember in the Boondocks when it shows that Grandad was one of the guys who were supposed to protect her or something like that? that was funny.

 

[Nuke_em_05]

Snip

Oh, the part before all of the freedom stuff where it states "No law respecting the establishment of religion".

In fact I am feeling super generous today so I will supply you with a link, or should I just spoiler the video... nah, I shall link it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZLeWYkSPQ4&feature=PlayList&p=E2A228E858D7F91D&index=25

Answering both at once.

Thank-you, oh great Evil Jak for enlightening me to the un-determinably qualified random guy babbling on YouTube. I find it interesting that many people cite YouTube videos of people in their dens rambling on as though their word is law. Or the text version, wikipedia.

Not that any website is completely accurate, adherents.com at least does its research, and shows it.

[a href=http://www.adherents.com/gov/Founding_Fathers_Religion.html]List of "Founding Fathers"[/a]

[a href=http://www.adherents.com/adh_presidents.html]List of U.S. Presidents[/a]

[a href=http://www.adherents.com/largecom/fam_deist.html]List of famous "Deists"[/a]

So, of the 56 initial signers, 2 are listed as "Deist", and 2 as "Unitarian". In the articles of confederation (48 total), 1 "Deist". The ratification of the Constitution (39 signers), 1 "Deist", Of the 16 who did not sign, all "Christian".

In describing the list of deists, they explain that "deist" beliefs are sometimes used to describe a person as such completely, or it is attributed to them based on their beliefs, even if they still mostly hold to another religion. Bejamin Fraknlin even made a motion for a clergyman to lead a prayer during a session of the Constitutional Convention.

Be it the Christian God or the God of Nature, the United States was founded with the belief that we have rights granted by a "God". Even deists believe that the God who built the universe, gave it a lunch box, and sent it on its merry way wants them to live morally, and they even acknowldge a relationship with such a deity. "Deists", in the early sense, really were more about denying the "religious" aspect (where man construes God's intent), miracles, and the divinity of Christ, not about denying a Creator.

You can construe context to whatever end you want. If the founding fathers didn't want the government to at least recognize a "God", they wouldn't have founded it based on rights granted by one. That is why in the constitution it is "establish", not "endorse".

The distinction of the United States to previous governments was not that it was "religion-less" it was that it did not force a religion on its citizens. The president is not ordained by God. The governors are not also the bishops. The citizens are not required to believe anything.

 

[Nuke_em_05]

BIGGEST LIE THEY TELL YOU UPON ENTERING HISTORY CLASS :

Teacher: "History class is fun!"

Agreed.

 

[Kinguendo]

Snip

Oh, the part before all of the freedom stuff where it states "No law respecting the establishment of religion".

In fact I am feeling super generous today so I will supply you with a link, or should I just spoiler the video... nah, I shall link it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZLeWYkSPQ4&feature=PlayList&p=E2A228E858D7F91D&index=25

Answering both at once.

Thank-you, oh great Evil Jak for enlightening me to the un-determinably qualified random guy babbling on YouTube. I find it interesting that many people cite YouTube videos of people in their dens rambling on as though their word is law. Or the text version, wikipedia.

Not that any website is completely accurate, adherents.com at least does its research, and shows it.

[a href=http://www.adherents.com/gov/Founding_Fathers_Religion.html]List of "Founding Fathers"[/a]

[a href=http://www.adherents.com/adh_presidents.html]List of U.S. Presidents[/a]

[a href=http://www.adherents.com/largecom/fam_deist.html]List of famous "Deists"[/a]

So, of the 56 initial signers, 2 are listed as "Deist", and 2 as "Unitarian". In the articles of confederation (48 total), 1 "Deist". The ratification of the Constitution (39 signers), 1 "Deist", Of the 16 who did not sign, all "Christian".

In describing the list of deists, they explain that "deist" beliefs are sometimes used to describe a person as such completely, or it is attributed to them based on their beliefs, even if they still mostly hold to another religion. Bejamin Fraknlin even made a motion for a clergyman to lead a prayer during a session of the Constitutional Convention.

Be it the Christian God or the God of Nature, the United States was founded with the belief that we have rights granted by a "God". Even deists believe that the God who built the universe, gave it a lunch box, and sent it on its merry way wants them to live morally, and they even acknowldge a relationship with such a deity. "Deists", in the early sense, really were more about denying the "religious" aspect (where man construes God's intent), miracles, and the divinity of Christ, not about denying a Creator.

You can construe context to whatever end you want. If the founding fathers didn't want the government to at least recognize a "God", they wouldn't have founded it based on rights granted by one. That is why in the constitution it is "establish", not "endorse".

The distinction of the United States to previous governments was not that it was "religion-less" it was that it did not force a religion on its citizens. The president is not ordained by God. The governors are not also the bishops. The citizens are not required to believe anything.

Erm... I am pretty good I know... anyway, the guy is a comedian and has decided to create more awareness of Atheism. And you can kinds see him looking to his side every so often and doing some clicking... he is "possibly" looking at something relevant to what he is saying, "maybe" even back at research he did.

 

[Duragorr]

I don't know where you guys went to school, but a lot of you guys need to study back up. One thing is as people are saying "Communism as its supposed to work" No, your idea of how its supposed to work is not communism at all, that is Marxism. Communism is the process of getting to a Marxist government. Saying the US is arrogant because WWII didn't start until 1941 is not arrogant at all, in order for it to be a World War, the World part would imply that it encompasses the World. Before 1941 it was a war in Europe. Pearl Harbor did start World War II. (Although personally I think WWII was just an extentsion of WWI). I don't think I was ever taught that the Civil war was started because of the slaves in school. I remember watching it on Saturday morning cartoons but never history class, in fact the Civil war chapter the first thing the teacher told us was that it was a common myth. I also never heard that the US "Beat the USSR" We won the Cold War, when the USSR collapsed. Collapsed usually is implied that it screwed itself over, although it didn't help in the Arms race I'm sure. Also Hiroshima was NOT a military base, it was in fact an industrial zone where they were making bullets/bombs/planes/whatever. The decision to bomb it was to stop the production. This is history from well over 10 years ago folks, I really hope the educational system hasn't fallen that much.

 

[WendelI]

No matter how many lies dough, They hardly ever have any effect on your life. People could had told me that Hitler died in the middle of the cold war and it wouldn't affect my life today at all. The point here is that weather it is a lie or not, the truth is mostly on everyone mind. an second, its just a misconception. I bet that most of these "Lies" where not intentional.

3rd dough, "Maria Juana" P) is illegal due to a politician worried about his timber industry not because of its utopia mind altering side effects.

 

[Nuke_em_05]

Snippity

Erm... I am pretty good I know... anyway, the guy is a comedian and has decided to create more awareness of Atheism. And you can kinds see him looking to his side every so often and doing some clicking... he is "possibly" looking at something relevant to what he is saying, "maybe" even back at research he did.

Being a comedian he has... that much more credibility?

I'm not saying that everything he said was out of his ass, he does make a few good points about common misconceptions (initial purpose of the colonies and such). However, he does slant and re-interpret a few things to make a biased point. i.e. Affiliation and intent of founding fathers.

As for looking at it, we can't know what he's referencing because he doesn't tell us. That's like a paper reading "We went to the moon in 1969 [I read it in a book]." He could be reading a legitimate source, wikipedia, his own notes on his own opinion, or porn. We just don't know.

Again, I'm not saying he's horribly wrong on all points. Just what he bases some assumptions on need to be clarified.