History of the Americas

[annie_linux]

Something I've been thinking about for a while is how funny it is that most of us middle class white folks here in the U.S. glamorize Europe and spend lots of money to travel there so we can learn more about "other cultures" and see acient cultural artifacts. I think that's great, but the big irony is that most of us know more about the United

Comments

[avariceglutton]

(I.O.U. - One trip to Mexico. To be redeemed within one lifetime.) I'm something something generation English. Which means I have no Culture. "When I hear the word Culture I take out my checkbook". You're right on all counts, and yet and yet... That'll be the day. If you recall all historical studies in TN are "TN history". Civil war endlessly emphasized: "We were the last to join the confederacy and the first to re-join the Union." That line I actually heard in class & sort of sums up where the school curriculum is at in terms of information... lacking detail. I remember the history of ancient Egypt condensed into two pages in a grade school history book. What I'm saying is: you're asking too much. Everyone's a dumb ass. School/college should last for 8 more years and should be free. Also, there's no time. You have to be an adult by 23 or your life is in shambles. OK!

[annie_linux]

Well, what I had in mind was more a change in the way academics study American history. I was thinking maybe somebody could write a history book of the American continent (similar to books on the history of Europe) from the perspective of Native Americans rather than Europeans. You have to start somewhere and if that point of view trickled down some to public schools then awesome! If not, then like you said, I was asking too much anyways.

[ozmakid]

To this day, the assimilation of ancient icons and culture are used more as a way of preserving the power of the Mexican government than any real genuine acknowledgement of prehispanic people. Even the Mexican flag flies the insignia of indigenous people, an eagle clasping a snake in its talons and perched atop a nopal cactus in reference to the fabled story of how the Aztec chose the location of their monumental city.

wow, that's heavy stuff. i certainly agree with the need for a change in the way we relate to our neighbors, and i think most of that depends on (self-)education and raising awareness of why it's a big deal in the first place. the academics might pick up on this stuff way before the government does, but that's not to say it's less important for academia to figure out. "trickling down" probably won't happen - it would probably have to start out as a state-by-state initiative in public education.