For years, the American Revolution has been taught using the same lens. This lens has been one that involves militaristic themes, and harbors on the idea that war will solve world issues. According to William McCorkle, the author of the article, “Applying a Critical and Peace Education Lens to the American Revolution in the Social Studies Classroom”, unknowingly, teachers present a nationalistic view when they are teaching the American Revolution. McCorkle dissects each aspect of the American Revolution in his article, and explores how teachers can teach these aspects in a peaceful manner.
To begin, McCorkle sheds light on colonist support for the Revolutionary War, and how it is different than portrayed in history classrooms. According to
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This is usually taught from the perspective of the colonists, and fails to shed light on the British perspective. Students should study why the colonists were paying taxes, how the British government assisted the colonists with their expansion, and compare the colonists’ taxes to those of the British citizens. This discussion will lead into the issue of “no taxation without representation”, and this should be compared to the representation that British citizens were receiving in Great Britain. William McCorkle brought up an excellent topic at the end of the section covering the issues of oppression and taxation when he wrote, “The teacher could also have the class discuss the question of whether giving the United States more representation in Parliament would have actually stopped the Revolution or whether that was merely a pretense to rebel” (McCorkle, 2020, p.4). This question will bring a meaningful debate to the classroom, and allow students to think critically and take a strong side of the debate. The differing views throughout the classroom will make students prove why they feel the way that they do using concrete examples from the material presented in