Lies My Teacher Told Me
American history is taught in schools all over the country. History is important since it educates students about the nation’s past. However, this past is portrayed as that of a “perfect” nation. Most school book authors know this history as lies. Conversely, James W. Loewen, the author of the Lies My Teacher Told Me believes that most of the students are taught a lie because of the teachers. He also believes that American history is taught with a nationalistic approach. Teachers do not teach the history as it is, but they have strong patriotic sentiments that dilute the concepts and facts. When it comes to the teaching of history, it can be proved beyond reasonable doubts that America has lived a disastrous lie that
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Conventionally, it is believed that an Italian explorer Christopher Columbus discovered America and proved that the earth was spherical but not round (Loewen). However, Loewen refutes this fact calling it a lie. He affirms those prior to Columbus there were more than fifteen groups that explored and discovered America and settled in America. He further claims that what made Columbus’ voyage different was how he exploited and manipulated the indigenous people of America.
If the textbooks covered the real and actual history, the students would be forced to ask difficult questions that even the teachers would not be able to answer. Since America is a place with people from all walks of life, they would properly understand their origin and how they were treated in the past and begin to ask for their rights. The teachers would find it difficult teaching this particular subject. Resultantly, citizens would not be patriotic and proud of America when its ugly truth is unraveled.
As the Loewen affirms in his books lies my teacher taught me. American history is full of an ugly past as to what is being taught as history in schools today. Teachers find dull history and lie easily to teach as compared to facts and unpleasant truth. Real history evokes many reactions from those