americas

History currently serves one purpose in school: create "patriotic" citizens. It's unfortunate that this agenda prevents us from truly examining our history and using it as a guide for our current times. The current lack of interest and understanding of our modern world is linked to our poor presentation of history. This book helps change that. It examines many of the areas that we either leave out or gloss over (such as the history of American Indians, African-Americans, other minorities, and women.) Here we start with the true Columbus: a greedy, murderous man that commits acts of genocide against the native inhabitants of this land. Lies My Teacher Told Me is true history, not the myth-making history that is too often taken as truth in our history classes and texts. Read this book. History and the other social sciences need a radical re-ordering in America and this book can help change that. A true understanding of our past is the only way to engage critically with the present and prepare for the future. Consider this book a guide for a truer understanding of American history.

The act of reading and understanding a history textbook is a process that requires critical thinking, questioning, and in-depth examination. The history that is normally taught in high school classrooms is not always accurate or based on primary sources of information. In certain situations the historical information exposed to high school students consists of symbolic myths that merely fuel patriotic needs and ethnocentric attitudes. In other situations historical facts automatically become blurred due standardization strains and over consolidation of historical facts. A definitive addition to this aspect of the historical curriculum has been done by James Loewen in Lies My Teacher Told Me. This detailed book covers different events that have taken place in history that are not accurately portrayed in most high school textbooks. The books main points basically cover issues such as the truth behind Columbus, Native American interaction in the foundation of the country, and how race relations have truly developed throughout the nations history. The process of writing accurate unbiased historical information is a complicated task with so many different stories and sources to draw from. Loewen explains in great detail with use if primary sources the truth behind important aspects of American history. The information presented by the book provides a solid background for educators and students in the field of history.

If when reading this book, you find that the author is completely one sided and biased, it's because you didn't read the next paragraph. The author shows the liberal view first, and gives the reader credit to keep reading to see the conservative side. Although I believe the topics and conclusions are largely liberal, they are fair and well balanced. I don't believe there is much to argue here.

If you don't think the history referenced in this book is accurate, you are free to research it yourself. The author does not claim to use any secret sources.

For instance, the author mentions that early european settlers dug up and ate dead native americans. I don't know where his source is for this, but I wouldn't be surprised if that source turned out to be primary source material. Whether or not the primary source is accurate, or corroborated, would also require more research.

It would be embarrassing if the author just made it up, and judging by the topic of the book, counter-productive.

Do yourself a favor and read the whole thing. Don't stop short like your teacher did with your history book.