Originally Posted by Val
Said another way, you don't get to the part about analyzing the Maginot line without knowing who France was trying to protect itself from and why.
What fraction of American college freshmen do you think know that it was to protect France from Germany, and that it failed near the beginning of World War II? If the percentage is small, I think it makes sense for college history classes to test for knowledge of facts like these. Ideally, well-prepared college students who know such facts will be able to start with more advanced history classes.