Time to Stop Fighting the Civil War in History Class

Let's have some real honesty. When was the last time they actually taught history in our schools? Real history covering major events from all sides... non-politically correct pick and choose what we teach because someone may actually learn something about why and what led to p.c.! I have learned more real history from the various History Channels, Young Indy, PBS, HBO and books than I was ever taught in High School. We are ignorant of most of our continent's history and the truth of what our Founding Father's actually believed and how they lived. We know nothing about The War of 1812 except the lyrics to the "Battle of New Orleans". We know nothing about the Mexican War, Napoleon, Emperor Maximillian, The Spanish American War except T.R. charging San Juan Hill, we haven't heard of more than half of our own presidents, we have no idea the causes or the death and destruction of WWI and why not punishing the perpetrators led to economic disaster in Germany and the rise of Hitler, we've been taught zip about the relationship of The League of Nations to the War in Viet Nam. We know nothing about the Opium Wars in China and the involvement of Britian and the U.S. We bury our heads to avoid learning history, so we are doomed to repeat it; and especially we pick on those who are actually interested in education instead of test scores as intellectual, liberal effete. Reply

The US is not attending the UN conference on racism. So much for an honest discourse. Reply

"[S]tates’ rights" and "economic differences" are euphemisms for slavery. After all, the states' right they were worried about was the right to enslave people. And the economic difference was between a slave economy and a free-labor economy. The war wasn't fought to free the slaves--that's true. But it was fought to keep new territories from becoming slave states. So it's absolutely correct--if incomplete--to say that slavery was the cause of the Civil War. Reply

I would have to say that you are wrong anchower. Sorry. Take a look at where the first "battle" was fought. The war started because of shipping and trading rights. Ask the Irish about a free-labor economy and how they were treated at that time. At least most of the slaves were provided for because they were used as tools. The north was every bit as guilty of being inhuman. Why do you think the stops on the underground railroad get fewer and farther between the more north of the Mason-Dixon you went? The issue was about money. Just as all always are. Slavery was and is wrong, just like the information you've been brainwashed with. Reply