History is, of course, a subject near and dear to my heart...much like bacon but without the artery clogging side affects.
Therefore, like many historians, lovers of history, and plain old common sense Americans, I was more than a little concerned about the rollout of the latest AP history course last year.
In fact, I was very concerned about it and wrote a number of blog posts expressing my dismay not at the format and concept of how AP History would be taught, but the relentless march of political correctness and Social Justice Warrior nonsense for America and how it was formed.
Fired up and ready to go--the History Wars come around again.
Of course, being the Grouchy Historian, I did have to laugh at one comment:
I know the idea of "rote" memorization makes modern educators cringe, but how do you discuss the context and racial implications (cuz you know they will) of a bunch of white slave holding males writing the Declaration of Independence, if you don't know it was approved on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, after being drafted by Thomas Jefferson, who was from Virginia. Oh, and that whole Revolutionary War that brought it about was pretty important too.
Or that the Civil War started on April 12, 1861. Or that D-Day happened on June 6, 1944.
These are not trivial issues. It's hard to evaluate primary source material and debate the implications of different points of view of an event if you don't know the basic WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE of history.
Time will tell, I guess...but as for me, I am sticking to buying books by reputable historians and not depending on some amalgamated textbook.
AND...there have been many, many excellent history books so far this year...coming soon...
Therefore, like many historians, lovers of history, and plain old common sense Americans, I was more than a little concerned about the rollout of the latest AP history course last year.
In fact, I was very concerned about it and wrote a number of blog posts expressing my dismay not at the format and concept of how AP History would be taught, but the relentless march of political correctness and Social Justice Warrior nonsense for America and how it was formed.
Fired up and ready to go--the History Wars come around again.
Needless to say, my fears were shared:
So it appears the AP History has been revised and the SJW has been turned down a little.
Now I have no doubt it PAINED the New York Slimes to write this article since to liberals, EVERYTHING is about race, gender, or sexual orientation, but it seems like a decent middle ground has been reached.
"College Board officials reached out to critics, held meetings, attended hearings and listened. They rewrote and reorganized the curriculum, ridding it of partisan sentiment, real or imagined.So, since liberals hate to compromise, since, of course they are righteous about everything, the fact that liberals allowed even some changes to this highly slanted version of American history meant the course was pretty FUBAR.
What emerged was a framework praised for achieving “an impressive middle ground,” says Jeremy A. Stern, a historian who had criticized the 2014 framework"
Of course, being the Grouchy Historian, I did have to laugh at one comment:
"The hardest hurdle for critics may be accepting that the teaching of history has evolved, as has the sophistication of the high school students who are eager to take on a college-level course."Really? Evolved? More sophisticated? I have some doubts, believe me. I don't disagree the AP is a good preparation for college level work, but I wonder how much these students are prepared.
I know the idea of "rote" memorization makes modern educators cringe, but how do you discuss the context and racial implications (cuz you know they will) of a bunch of white slave holding males writing the Declaration of Independence, if you don't know it was approved on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, after being drafted by Thomas Jefferson, who was from Virginia. Oh, and that whole Revolutionary War that brought it about was pretty important too.
Or that the Civil War started on April 12, 1861. Or that D-Day happened on June 6, 1944.
These are not trivial issues. It's hard to evaluate primary source material and debate the implications of different points of view of an event if you don't know the basic WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE of history.
Time will tell, I guess...but as for me, I am sticking to buying books by reputable historians and not depending on some amalgamated textbook.
AND...there have been many, many excellent history books so far this year...coming soon...
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