How is the American War for Independance taught in the UK?

[Baneat]

I've wondered this before. I also wonder how World War 2 and the Holocaust are covered in Germany.

I asked, it's so touchy there they don't mention it more than in passing, they won't go into a 40 hour section of how fucking horrible their country was 70 years ago.

I wish you were right...
From sixth grade on, that was pretty much our only topic in history classes, dropping almost all the interesting events in German and European history.

I just realised that information came from a 50 year old curator in Frankfurt, who, at the time of being at school, was much closer to the time of the events of WW2

 

[JohnnyMolotov]

While i do believe that the American War of Independence is an event that stands out in American and British history, i'm just saying over here in Blighty we incidentally have over 1000 years of British history to cover, so sometimes subjects aren't mentioned or are crammed in and not given much elaboration.

When I was in school, The War of Independence was mentioned passingly when we were studying the British Empire but that's about it.

 

[jim1398]

I dont think it was ever covered at all during my time in school and college, if it was it was so brief that I simply can't remember it. The periods I remember studying in depth were the Roman Empire,the Tudors, the reign of James I, the Industrial Revolution, World War 1 and World War 2.

It really seemed to focus heavily on the origins of the United Kingdom and events that affected a significant part of the entire world.

 

[Nautical Honors Society]

Typical American arrogance to assume it's taught at all.

This is the most ridiculous statement I've read in a long time. Are you saying it isn't important for peope in the UK to learn about the successful uprisal of the colony and the dismantling of an Empire? I wonder how far your Eurocentric stereotypes will get you in life...

 

[kommunizt kat]

One thing I would also like to ask would be "how was the Philippine war for independence taught in America or Spain?" the same answer might arise

 

[Randomorific]

The things I have been taught at school in the UK (or will be taught, I will continue history for A level) Romans, Tudors, WWI, Plains Indians (native Americans, I don't know why), USA 20's-30's, Britain 1850-1914, Unification of Italy, Unification of Germany.

To be honest I don't find any US history interesting at all really, I don't really know why to be honest. Normally anything to do with the British Empire interests me but the US parts I just don't really care about. No offence intended.

 

[Tallim]

Typical American arrogance to assume it's taught at all.

This is the most ridiculous statement I've read in a long time. Are you saying it isn't important for peope in the UK to learn about the successful uprisal of the colony and the dismantling of an Empire? I wonder how far your Eurocentric stereotypes will get you in life...

It wasn't the cause of the dismantling of the Empire. In fact it triggered the rise of what is known as The Second British Empire.

 

[edman270]

It wasn't. They taught us to spell instead.

Independence.

I think I'm in love with you, just for posting that.

<3

 

[Nautical Honors Society]

Typical American arrogance to assume it's taught at all.

This is the most ridiculous statement I've read in a long time. Are you saying it isn't important for peope in the UK to learn about the successful uprisal of the colony and the dismantling of an Empire? I wonder how far your Eurocentric stereotypes will get you in life...

It wasn't the cause of the dismantling of the Empire. In fact it triggered the rise of what is known as The Second British Empire.

It had to fall before it rose again.

 

[mummy162]

In my experience every country sort of glazes over their defeats in their history books. Sure, Americans have got some losses as well, but we don't hear as much about them.

 

[Sparrow]

It's not, really. I was taught about those two world wars we saved everyone from.

[sup]Oh, you Americans! I'm only messing! After all, Russia was a big help in WW2.[/sup]

It wasn't. They taught us to spell instead.

Independence.

You are my new favourite person.

- Roman Empire
- Renaissance
- World War I (various)
- World War II (various)
- Cold War

I was taught all of these except the last one, most likely because I didn't take history onto GCSE. Kind of wish I did now, the course seemed pretty damn interesting.

 

[Alexlion]

Its not, not to be rude but the reason u needed to rebel was out of neglect as much as oppression you where not a very important part of the empire. I personally learnt about the trade triangle of the empire. India was mort important and got most of our attention.

Also we or at least i spent a lot of time learning in school about romans, celts, the dark ages, the slave trade, first world war and the 2nd, the war of the roses and womans suffrage most knowledge i have of it involves some sort of river crossing a man shouting "the british are coming"

Edit: oh and we where taught about the vietnam war btw

 

[Treblaine]

since this is a game site i'm gonna throw in a quote from a game:


"History is written by the victor. History is filled with liars. If he lives and we die, his truth becomes written... and ours is lost. 'Cause all you need to change the world is one good lie and a river of blood."

Captain John Price, Modern Warfare 2

This is the reason why there is such a backlash against Modern Warfare 2... because that is such nonsense.

Captain Price could easily go the UK and tell his side to his superiors. Shepard isn't even the commander in chief, the President is. He is just a tool, a powerful one but one phonecall to the president and SEAL Team 6 puts him under arrest.

The American President certainly isn't above firing their top general for the slightest thing, McCrystal dismissed for even questioning Obama's leadership in private.

MW2 might have made sense had Shepard seized power in a military coup and turned America into a military dictatorship, but that did not happen in the game.

And on topic. History books are written in both Britain and America yet they more or less agree with each other, only really disagreeing on semantics such as American Revolutions against American War of Independence.

Also why is it in my History book they dedicated entire chapters to War Crimes committed by the allies? Questioning the fire-bombing of German cities like Dresden and Atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

 

[Tallim]

Typical American arrogance to assume it's taught at all.

This is the most ridiculous statement I've read in a long time. Are you saying it isn't important for peope in the UK to learn about the successful uprisal of the colony and the dismantling of an Empire? I wonder how far your Eurocentric stereotypes will get you in life...

It wasn't the cause of the dismantling of the Empire. In fact it triggered the rise of what is known as The Second British Empire.

It had to fall before it rose again.

It didn't fall though, it stumbled at best. The Second Empire was essentially the first empire without the American colonies. Instead it branched out into the east. In no way did the revolution cause the empire to collapse.

 

[Double A]

Considering our curriculum of England in US History usually consists of "They started us, we beat them up in 1815, and they fought in the world wars," it surprises me that people over there actually know we had a revolution.

Hell, I don't think we even cover pre-Industrial England in the slightest in World History, but then again, what do you expect when you compress 6 thousand years of records into a semester?

generally they try to focus on the important stuff though

That hurts, man.

 

[gellert1984]

With a lot of you guys from across the Pond I am very curious as to how the UK treats this part in your history.

Basically? We ramped up taxes to pay for the war with France, Amercans got pissed off, bought guns at knockdown prices from the French and rebelled. We beat France but lost the US.

 

[Liam Riordan]

I wasn't taught it in Wales, we covered Henry VIII, WWII, and... well that's about it other than some castle stuff.

 

[monkey-skitz 91]

since this is a game site i'm gonna throw in a quote from a game:


"History is written by the victor. History is filled with liars. If he lives and we die, his truth becomes written... and ours is lost. 'Cause all you need to change the world is one good lie and a river of blood."

Captain John Price, Modern Warfare 2

This is the reason why there is such a backlash against Modern Warfare 2... because that is such nonsense.

Captain Price could easily go the UK and tell his side to his superiors. Shepard isn't even the commander in chief, the President is. He is just a tool, a powerful one but one phonecall to the president and SEAL Team 6 puts him under arrest.

The American President certainly isn't above firing their top general for the slightest thing, McCrystal dismissed for even questioning Obama's leadership in private.

MW2 might have made sense had Shepard seized power in a military coup and turned America into a military dictatorship, but that did not happen in the game.

And on topic. History books are written in both Britain and America yet they more or less agree with each other, only really disagreeing on semantics such as American Revolutions against American War of Independence.

Also why is it in my History book they dedicated entire chapters to War Crimes committed by the allies? Questioning the fire-bombing of German cities like Dresden and Atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

who gives a fuck if its true or not? its a game, this is a gaming site, and its relevant to history. thats the only reason i put it there. i didnt post it to spark a debate or any such shit, if u want that, look at my other two comments i posted earlier.

 

[Chaos Marine]

With a lot of you guys from across the Pond I am very curious as to how the UK treats this part in your history.

It was touched sparingly in our history. Essentially what I remember, if the rest of Europe, primarily the French didn't help you out, America would still be a colony.

 

[crystalsnow]

We take a minimum of three, but most people do five. I personally did it up to A level, so I took History for seven years. And most of it's taken up by British history, with a shift towards America and the USSR for modern history. I guess we just have a lot more to cover on the domestic front than you. And the American Revolution is only really an important event for America. America would rise to prominence later, sure, but our curriculum doesn't include the founding of any other powerful country, why would we learn about the USA's?

And it was an American poster a page or two before me who mentioned that the first world war is taught like a glorious victory, I was just commenting on that.

I suppose this is because Britain / The U.K. had important events happening for far longer than America. As for curriculum including the founding of other countries, we actually do include a bunch, but maybe this is all because I paid attention in class?

And yeah, now you know that the guy who posted that was drawing penises during class.