OPPapers.com

American History And The Arrogant Myth

American History and the Arrogant Myth
Most Americans were taught the spectacle of United States history in elementary school. Every year started out with the Pilgrims landing on Plymouth Rock, the small colony of Jamestown and progressed through the Revolutionary War. Being a history buff myself, learning American history and attending elementary school went hand-in-hand. However, over the past couple of decades some educators have been voicing interest in teaching world history in the classroom. With the rise of globalization, the world is becoming smaller and smaller every day. Some people argue that the U.S. education system should spotlight world history rather than focusing on American history. They argue that as the world becomes one community it would be beneficial for kids to have multicultural knowledge. This issue has been addressed in the short story, "When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine," by Jhumpa Lahiri, and a speech by Lynne Cheney entitled "Teaching Our Children About America." In Lahiri's story, a young girl named Lilia learns about the Partition and its significance to her family. In Mrs. Cheney's speech, she is advocating the teaching of American history in the classroom. While multicultural knowledge may help someone involved in international trade or diplomacy, the average fourth grader is not involved in such matters. The American education system; therefore, should not sacrifice teaching American history for world history because knowledge of America's past will ensure a secure future for the United States.
As mentioned earlier, some educators argue that the education system needs to teach more world history so children gain a better understanding of the world community. In a speech given on October 5, 2001, at the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture, Lynne Cheney spoke of the importance in teaching kids about American history. In her speech Mrs. Cheney pointed out "In a survey of seniors at the nation's top liberal arts...