Lies my teacher told me analysis

The author enumerates the various ways in which the books have white-washed American history. He points out the inherent evil in Christopher Columbus and the inbuilt human foibles in the Founding Fathers. He points out that the American government was more likely than not to use force to deal with Native Americans. This analysis shall cover this and other points as it aims to show how effective the book has been in changing the country’s thinking. The book is one of the most intriguing in its class and its appeal to critical thinking will continue to be important. By some estimates, Columbus’ actions directly led to the death of millions. That is a truth that is rarely told in American schools.

The main problem with the presentation is that it warps the nation’s sense of who it is and what it represents. For example, it must be confusing for young students who know the actual history to see monuments erected in honor of Columbus. It must confound them to see people celebrating Columbus Day. It is an oversimplification which deliberately ignores several critical factors. Loewen (2018) digs up actual historical documents to show that the fight for independence was not about some high ideals and neither was it universal. The reality is that the American elite wanted to throw off the British yoke for its own benefit. The merchants, ranchers, and miners were tired of the British taxation system. In fact, the initial struggle was for better rights inside the British Commonwealth.

The Founding Fathers George Washington. Thomas Jefferson. John Quincy Adams. Benjamin Franklin. These names stand like a colossus across the American psyche. For example, when one speaks about changing the constitution, many people will ask whether the person believes he or she is smarter than the Founding Fathers. The “genius” and “superhuman” tags make it difficult to criticize what the Founding Fathers did. Another factor is the reality that the Founding Fathers were not only not perfect; they were also quite immoral in their own way. A good example is the ownership of slaves. Most children are not told that many of the Founding Fathers owned slaves (Loewen, 1998). Those who were not usually preferred to move further West instead of fighting.

It was the settlers who could not let the original residents be. There existed the perverse belief that it was the white man’s duty to “civilize” the “barbarians. ” It was the settlers and their government which moved against the Native Americans. The history books also ignore the reality that the violence was based on pure greed. It is whitewashing which has a horrible impact on the children who are kept away from reality. The main danger in this aspect is the fact that whitewashing slavery creates children with no understanding of how horrible the experience was. It creates a former chief of staff and retired marine general who says that the Civil War was the product of a misunderstanding. It creates a country where a governor, West Virginia, tries to avoid the use of the word slave preferring to call them indentured servants.