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    #223244 10/05/15 09:35 AM
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    Dude Offline OP
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    The blatant distortions and whitewashing of US history have reached the point where the African slave trade and the Irish potato famine had nearly the same result:
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...cktracks-after-mothers-online-complaint/

    Among the other distortions mentioned in the article: Thomas Jefferson wasn't that big a deal in the founding of the country, separation of church and state is an open question, and slavery was a secondary cause of the Civil War.

    This highlights a need for parents to monitor their children's curriculum and be ready to step in and correct as necessary.

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    Originally Posted by Dude
    The blatant distortions and whitewashing of US history have reached the point where the African slave trade and the Irish potato famine had nearly the same result:
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...cktracks-after-mothers-online-complaint/

    Among the other distortions mentioned in the article: Thomas Jefferson wasn't that big a deal in the founding of the country, separation of church and state is an open question, and slavery was a secondary cause of the Civil War.

    This highlights a need for parents to monitor their children's curriculum and be ready to step in and correct as necessary.

    Separation of church and state is, by definition, an open question.

    A constitutional amendment could negate it.

    The other two are historical facts.

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    Where would one find accurate historical information, and how would one ascertain its accuracy?

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    Val Offline
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    Originally Posted by Nyaanyaa
    Were would one find accurate historical information, and how would one ascertain its accuracy?

    There are things called "documents." They have been known to help in that regard.

    Originally Posted by Texas secession declaration
    ...based upon the unnatural feeling of hostility to these Southern States and their beneficent and patriarchal system of African slavery, proclaiming the debasing doctrine of the equality of all men, irrespective of race or color--a doctrine at war with nature, in opposition to the experience of mankind, and in violation of the plainest revelations of the Divine Law. They demand the abolition of negro slavery throughout the confederacy, the recognition of political equality between the white and the negro races, and avow their determination to press on their crusade against us, so long as a negro slave remains in these States.

    Originally Posted by Mississippi secession document
    Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery-- the greatest material interest of the world. Its labor supplies the product which constitutes by far the largest and most important portions of commerce of the earth. These products are peculiar to the climate verging on the tropical regions, and by an imperious law of nature, none but the black race can bear exposure to the tropical sun. These products have become necessities of the world, and a blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization.

    IMO, this is the sort of stuff that gifted kids (and adults) excel at understanding: not just the reality of the situation, but the reality that underlies attempts at hiding icky truths. Kudos to the kid in the Washinton Post story and his mom!

    Last edited by Val; 10/05/15 10:51 AM.
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    Dude Offline OP
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    Originally Posted by JonLaw
    Separation of church and state is, by definition, an open question.

    Not really, because the Supreme Court has answered the question definitively in a number of instances. Thomas Jefferson's famous interpretation of the First Amendment has been affirmed.

    The boundaries of that separation are still frequently being tested, of course, but that a separation exists is well-established.

    Originally Posted by JonLaw
    A constitutional amendment could negate it.

    We're an amendment away from constitutional monarchy, too.

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    Originally Posted by Nyaanyaa
    accurate historical information
    National History Day (NHD) suggests conducting research via primary source documents and artifacts. The US Library of Congress (LOC) and Harvard libraries, among others, provide access to digitized collections of primary sources, including the LOC primary source sets, while museums including the Smithsonian present artifacts. The National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC) is one example. There is also an International Slavery Museum (ISM) which educates about the experiences of enslaved people, sharing both current-day events and history of trans-Atlantic slave trade. While the museum houses collections of artifacts, an online interactive lesson presents "Enslaved Africans: Our Truth".

    Because many primary source documents were written in cursive, being able to read cursive is necessary to "access" these primary sources. Unfortunately, cursive is no longer taught in many US public schools.

    Harvard Library Research Guide defines primary sources here and secondary sources here.

    Quote
    how would one ascertain its accuracy
    Often by comparing several independent primary sources for corroboration, a degree of confidence can be developed about the accuracy of the journals, letters, newsclippings, etc.

    When reading books such as textbooks, it may be wise to check the list of reference materials. Some books which have helped kids learn about and appreciate history include DK books and Eyewitness to History.

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    Dude Offline OP
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    Originally Posted by JonLaw
    The other two are historical facts.

    By that, I hope you mean that their opposites are historical facts. As the author of several policy documents in the rebellion era (culminating in, not beginning with, the Declaration of Independence), as a party to the drafting of the Virginia constitution, as the leader of the first opposition political party in US history, and as a president who successfully doubled the size of the country, he was kinda a big deal.

    As for the Civil War, the organized governments of four secessionist states felt it necessary to draft a document expressing their reasoning, all four reviewed and approved in much the same was as the Declaration of Independence, and all stating in unequivocal terms that their separation is motivated entirely by the preservation of slavery.
    http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/primarysources/declarationofcauses.html

    The "but-but-but, states rights!" crowd should pay particular attention to the position the secession declarations take on the northern states' non-enforcement of the federal Fugitive Slave Act, as that reads as an anti-anti-Federalist screed.

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    Thank you very much, indigo! I have never had the opportunity to properly study history in school, which always saddened me. It looks like the recommended way is playing detective. This'll be fun! Thank you so much!!! smile

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    Originally Posted by Dude
    Originally Posted by JonLaw
    Separation of church and state is, by definition, an open question.

    Not really, because the Supreme Court has answered the question definitively in a number of instances. Thomas Jefferson's famous interpretation of the First Amendment has been affirmed.

    The boundaries of that separation are still frequently being tested, of course, but that a separation exists is well-established.

    Originally Posted by JonLaw
    A constitutional amendment could negate it.

    We're an amendment away from constitutional monarchy, too.

    Yep.

    We could probably get some traction on a constitutional monarchy amendment.

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    Val Offline
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    Originally Posted by JonLaw
    Yep.

    We could probably get some traction on a constitutional monarchy amendment.

    The Bush and Clinton families would probably agree. Though I wouldn't want to be around for the civil war to determine which family gets the job.

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