Teaching History: Pocahontas Misconceptions

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CrappyColon

I'm not sure how many of y'all have kids....for reference mine are 11 and 12 (5th 7th grade) and go to public schools.

I had a show on and it revealed the actor's 12xs great-grandmother was Pocahontas. First kid was home from school, and said "What? Pocahontas was a real person?!" And I was like, how did you not know this was not a real person? He thought she was just a Disney character. Second kid got home and I rewound it to the same place and played it to see her reaction. She burst out the exact same thing!!!! I know I knew before the Disney movies came out that Pocahontas was a real person. Is this normal?! Did they stop teaching about her in schools and just let the Disney movies take over??? Have I failed as a parent at teaching history? ;)

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Wildflower 81

Hello, government is barely taught or required anymore so it wouldn't surprise me, though I believe my daughter was taught about her through school as well.

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CrappyColon
Reply to Wildflower 81

As soon as I'm done with this migraine, my kids are getting a lesson on Pocahontas. Lol. I don't know why this, in particular, bothers me so much. Maybe because I have Native American background.

Axl

Most youngsters get their information from social media or the internet. I learned most when young from school and history/movies on TV. Sadly, these don't seem to exist anymore. Only takes one generation and history is gone for good.

AlexT

Lots of history is overlooked nowadays.

 
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Mayoman

You guys do know what happens when people forget (or never learn) their history!!??

If you never learn your history, you can never learn from your history.

My country, Ireland, has a colorful, sad, tragic history of occupation, revolution. Struggling violently and non-violently for freedom from the once all-powerful Empire (you know which one). Over and over and over. Our teachers in Ireland generally avoided the subject all through high school because it was always such a volatile subject. Some people supported violent protest and many others did not. It was only when I read and studied our history, my country's history myself and informed myself that I fully understood the implications that our history has for our present realities.

In Irish schools as I grew up, I was often confused as to which stories and characters were real people and which were characters from Irish folklore. A confusing mix of reality and fantasy created a blurred view of history for me and for many others. Critical thinking is what can break through that confusion. Inspiring kids to think for themselves will help them break through the confusion.

Once in the US, I wanted to learn all about US history. In college, I wanted to understand how the past has impacted the present for every American, every color, every religion, etc., everyone. I firmly believe that we must understand our history to some degree (just the basic honest facts at least) without bias, without favoritism, without preconceived ideas or beliefs..."Just the Facts" if a country is to move forward in a healthy way. Facts are facts and "Truth" is not relative....if shit happened then shit happened and facts are not up for debate, reality is reality. This is what history should be, just facts and the honest depiction of what happened and how it happened as well as the consequences arising from historical actions.

In Europe, the blood-related royal families were constantly at war...basically (royal) family squabbles formed the roots of revolutions, wars, murder, and mayhem and ultimately two world wars. The roots of WW2 lie in the Armistice which ended WW1. Attempts to rebuild long-lost empires always result in disaster as is reflected in current world affairs.

So definitely don't whitewash history...any history, it can only help your kids.

Just a few thoughts from a transplanted Irishman. The US has its faults, like most places, but I love most things about this wonderful country and the wonderful mixture of people who I've met and known here. Knowing history is always productive if its lessons are learned.

HenryM
Reply to Mayoman

Well said, professor.  We have a very negative phenomenon occurring in my state of Florida right now.  Gov. DeSantis is hard at work trying to prevent the teaching of any history that makes white people uncomfortable, and so he is essentially cancelling black history and making its teaching illegal.  This guy is in the running to be the next U.S. president for the GOP.  Letting children know about how slavery thrived in the USA is too "woke" for him.  It's all very Orwellian.  

CrappyColon
Reply to Axl

It's funny you say that... I have so many conversations with my children when they make a statement, I tell them they need facts behind it to back it up and when I ask where they first heard it, it's usually YouTube.

On the other side, I was doing a grocery pick-up order and I could tell English was the young man's second language, so I asked where he was from and he told me that he learned to speak English from watching YouTube.

Bill
Reply to Mayoman

Hello Mayoman.

Mark Twain wrote in 1897 that: ‘The very ink with which all history is written is merely fluid prejudice.’
My own view is that history has largely been written (documented) by those with the capability and power to make their version of events ‘stick’. Here in the UK we witnessed the blatant  attempts to ‘airbrush’ Lady Diana Spencer from history, when she was brutally killed in suspicious circumstances. Unfortunately, for those who wished this to happen, the ‘ordinary-people’ did not forget and still ‘blame' those who tried to write their own version of events’. Perhaps Diana will eventually go the way of Pocahontas  and be immortalised by Disney as a fictional figure.

As for Irish History, it seems to me to have been mainly written by the English and therefore has a distinctly ‘colonial’ bias.

Of Course, (as they say) there are always more sides to the story than are presented by those in charge!  Other perspectives are often obtained via the medium of song, poetry, or simply word of mouth handed down through the generations and rarely forgotten(especially by the ‘victims’ and their descendants). 
As my life’s work has included trying to give ‘victims’ a voice, I have contemplated the English version of Irish history and wrote a rhyme entitled ‘WHEN HIST’RY’S WRIT THROUGH IRISH EYES’. However,  I feel sure that I have shared this one with you before so, below I will share a rhyme which offers a more broad view of historical British colonialism.

Best wishes

Bill

 

HISTORY.

Britain has a long tradition
of avoiding the perdition
of countries that they colonised
preferring that they patronised.

Their rule was often quite downbeat
and largely left to the elite
to run their own country’s affairs
as if the British were not there.

And yet there was the weirdest twist
because the British did insist
that in return for no showdown
the natives recognised the crown.

They’d also adhere to the law
the British had made up before
because they  knew that laws were key
to how society would be.

Their law supported monarchy
along with the oligarchy
and this was what the British knew
was all they really had to do.

The natives would do all the work
to make sure peasants did not shirk
and so the systems were all set
to profiteer without a sweat.

Then as the years would slowly pass
it profited the upper class
to make sure it all stayed the same
and natives would be there to blame.

Because they’re social engineers
such systems worked for them for years
whilst others did their dirty deed
they reaped rewards to feed their greed.


                                                                B. Withers 2015
                                                    (p317 in ‘Bullying’ 2016)

CrappyColon
Reply to Mayoman

I appreciate your thoughts.

Wildflower 81
Reply to CrappyColon

I get that .... Honestly it seems like with everyone playing the "woke" game there's been even less emphasis placed on education about the plight of early Native American people. While not the same subject, I was pleasantly surprised when my daughter (8th grade) asked me to quiz her on an upcoming history test; the topic: early government formation (federalism, 3/5 Compromise, Virginia Plan, etc).

Wildflower 81

And don't get me wrong, I believe that racism, etc. is a very real issue that needs awareness and education, but I feel we are teetering on that fine line between "awareness" and "overboard."

Monsieur Le President
Reply to Mayoman

We are all products of our history but are not responsible for it.

It has happened, cannot happen. We can try to ensure that the same mistakes cannot happen.

A good start would be the removal of belief in a supernatural being in the sky, because if one exists, she is the biggest mischief maker there has ever been.

CrappyColon
Reply to Monsieur Le President

Well, I don't agree with your last paragraph but I also do not want to start a debate on it. I appreciate your other thoughts though.

Caz67

I watched a documentary on the TV a while ago about the Holocaust, and it's sad to say that the 14/15-year-olds had never heard of it and thought it was made up. This tragic history should never be forgotten and taught in every school to avoid it ever being repeated. XX

CrappyColon
Reply to Caz67

I couldn't believe it when I was hearing arguments that the Holocaust never happened. There's a movie I wanted to watch about a true trial that happened proving certain events actually happened- can't remember the name- think Rachel Weisz is in it. I remember being taken to a museum probably in junior high... maybe early high school on a field trip that was literally entirely focused on what happened during the Holocaust. Now you have me wondering if this has been in my kids' curriculum at all. I know I have talked to them about WW2 a lot because both my grandfathers were in the war. We'll be talking when they get home from school later... I have ADHD so they're never surprised when I bring up random topics lol.

Mayoman

Hi there, I think that remembering our history and learning about history should not lead to blaming people today for actions carried out by their ancestors. Many people get defensive when reminded of past misdeeds and systemic faults that existed in past generations, and I think that can betray an unfounded sense of personal guilt regarding the past. Many developed countries have pretty horrible histories lurking in their past. As the saying goes, "people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones." Very few countries have the right to point a finger of blame at others.

Whether it involves cultural genocide or population genocide, many developed countries have been involved in these practices based on belief in their cultural superiority. All the most powerful nations of Europe were involved in expansion by means of invasion and genocide at some point. These actions were carried out within Europe's borders as well as the rest of the world. Hitler's attempt to dominate all of Europe being the most dramatic of past intra-European conflicts resulting in genocide on an industrial scale against the Jewish population as well as any and all who were deemed "non-Arian", as defined by the German State. The German school system has no qualms about educating their people, young and old, about the genocidal actions of their own relatives during WW2. This is a healthy approach to past crimes that lurk in the history of many countries.

The genocidal dictator Pol Pot came to power in Cambodia following failed occupations of Southeast Asia which destabilized many countries in that part of the world. He ordered the murder of millions of Cambodians, many were parents who were executed by their own young children. Those people murdered were native Cambodian citizens.

Rwanda is yet another example of genocide carried out within the borders of one country instigated by the actions of past colonial powers, France in that case. Rwanda has a "Peace and Reconciliation Council" similar to a policy adopted in Northern Ireland which exposed and made people face their past genocidal actions. This exposure allows people to understand and battle the vicious genocidal nationalism which almost spelled the end of that country.

American history should be addressed with the same self-cleansing approach. The very first victims were the Native American population of pre-colonial America, which includes Canada as well as South America. Slavery and indentured servitude were real genocidal practices and should never be forgotten.

Being reminded of one's past sins is not and should not be seen as an accusatory attack and should not be presented as an accusation. Remembering and learning about the past should be an educational experience and nothing else.

I'm reminded of the racist actions of Irish immigrants such as the New York Anti-Civil War riots in which newly freed slaves were murdered and their homes burned. This is simply a fact, not an accusation directed at me personally as an Irish person, and I should feel no guilt around those actions. History is simply history and should not be looked on as an accusation...there is no need to take it personally.

Magoo

Caz67

Hi, Magoo.

I for one am not blaming or finger pointing. I was making a point that some children are not taught about the Holocaust, which I feel is a crying shame. What I'm struggling to understand from your comment is that we shouldn't talk or teach it because it might upset them!? I think I would rather upset the odd one rather than not learn lessons from the wars.

Yes, every country/race/religion has been at war at some point or other. I hate to say it, but unfortunately it will not stop anytime soon unless we get rid of the wannabe rulers and political fanatics.

Mayoman

 

Hi Caz ,  maybe I was unclear but I think people / children Should be taught about these horrible events , especially when these events happened in their own country . My first GF was a  London  girl and she had No Idea why there was a virtual Civil War in Northern Ireland. She was puzzled until I explained the History of our two countries , in a non-partisan way . My chat with her was Not accusatory , simply pointed out all the steps that led to to seemingly  insoluable predicament faced by both countries .  She should have been taught All the history , without the full story it is impossible to understand the situation that existed in 1972 and as it exists now after the smoke has cleared . Some people teanslate the real  History as crimes of which the current population is guilty  . What people are really guilty of is ignorance , often ( especially today ) Willfull Ignorance . In the US there is enormous willfull ignorance and there is no excuse for this . 

   The kindest Cath Priest I ever encountered      ( Irish High School )  gave us a graphic descriotion of The Holocost and his explanation of how this Insanity can creep up on an ( sometimes Willfully ) uninformed population .  How Nationalism is a two sided coin and Patriotism without a fully informed population can become the dangerous form of Nationalism .  The belief , "  my country , right or wrong "  can destroy a country  if people don't understand their own history . As Northern Ireland has demonstrated , when people have the Civil Rights they deserve then there is some hope of harmony or at least Tolerance  within their society for " The Other ".  Willful Ignorance can undermine the very Civil Rights that so many people fought to achieve . 

   Using Nationalism to demonize one ( or more) segment of society is never a productive exercise and only leads to internal conflict . At it's worst this form of Nationalism can often lead to the type of insanity that took place in Germany . When this insanity is promoted simply to gain political power  it is particulary reprehensible .  I believe that Brexit is a prime example of an uninformed public and fear of the " Other"  leading a country down a destructive path...but that is just my personal opinion !! 

   Education without Accusation is the logical approach  !!!   As the Cop in that old US TV show ,  (Dragnet I believe ?....I read about that in a History book  !)  used to say

" Just the Facts Mam , Just the Facts " .

   If people are offended by  a thoughtful  discussion of their History , good and bad  then tough shit , it happened , deal with it !! You will be better for it in the long run . 

I never intentionally try offend anyone If I do please let me know why or how .

Magoo .

OstoMicah

I have 2 girls. One in 4th grade and the other is in 6th. I really think the Covid closures hurt their educations. 

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