James W. Loewen's Lies My Teacher Told Me

Ronald Takaki, in his book, “A Different Mirror,” tackles the traditional narrative of American History. His concern lies in the diversified structure and inclusion of parts of their world, and their relation with daily interaction between people. The problem lies, however, in that the structure of American History, is heavily dependent on a Eurocentric idea of conquering the weak. With Takaki’s narrative experience, from the beginning of Chapter 1, he reveals how through history education, ordinary Americans, generally, are subsequently narrow minded and are ill prepared to adjust to the change in demographics throughout next decades, and thereof.

As stated in the subtitle, Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen is about what American history textbooks get wrong. As a rule people assume when reading textbooks they are getting raw facts, but that is not the case. Lies My Teacher Told Me really enlightens readers about how corrupt and biased textbook authors truly are. Loewen’s thesis is that textbook authors sugar coat and white wash history while trying to make America and it’s leaders look perfect on their pedestals. Loewen said “Textbooks have trouble acknowledging that anything might be wrong with white Americans or with the United States as a whole”(p.142). Throughout the book he defends this with many viable examples. Most students are told many romanticized myths about the “first

This purpose of this paper is to synthesize this writer 's three key revelations from this semester which are, (1) white privilege, (2) curriculum corruption and inadequate United States history education in K-12 public schools, and (3) United States legislation which disadvantages the minor races as a means for the dominate race to maintain power and control. Thus, this exploration organizes each area of significant course discovery, which a hybrid of class sources and readings relating to each area of learning supports. Additionally, this synthesis includes a summary of this writer 's social location as well as the course material’s impact on the understanding and interpretation of these themes. Finally, this paper ends with a conclusion and presents final thoughts about the concepts we 've discussed in the Sociology 321 - Race and Ethnicity course throughout the spring 2016 semester.

James W. Loewen wrote the book “Lies My Teacher Told Me” to help students understand the past of the United States, and how it is effecting the present time. “Lies My Teacher Told Me” looks at 12 different American history textbooks, and points out the different lies, flaws, and sugar coated stories the textbooks present. Lowen explains how textbooks practice heroification, and how race and race relations are a major issue when it comes to American history. Among these topics, Lowen also sheds light on the truth about social classes in America, and how textbooks lie about the past and try to avoid the recent past all together.

Loewen’s thesis in chapter three of “Lies My Teacher Told Me” was that almost everything we know about Thanksgiving is wrong. For example, the textbooks we learn from only teach us the side of the Englishmen, perhaps to cover up the not so heroic side of the Pilgrims? If you look back with the “common sense” we have now, we would have known it was the Native Americans we should’ve been thanking, not God. Even though what really happened was traumatic for the Wampanoag. History is always written by the winners, so when someone is in search of the truth they may want to get the story from the other side also.

They textbooks would glaze over the brutal and unsavory details of historical figures and glorify the colonization of America. Loewen uncovered these details and put them together in a book called “Lies My Teacher Told Me” and changed how many people saw history. In the final chapters, Loewen discusses

High school history textbooks are seen, by students, as presenting the last word on American History. Rarely, if ever, do they question what their text tells them about our collective past. According to James W. Loewen's Lies My Teacher Told Me, they should be. Loewen has spent considerable time and effort reviewing history texts that were written for high school students. In Lies, he has reviewed twenty texts and has compared them to the actual history. Sadly, not one text measures up to the author's expectation of teaching students to think. What is worse, though, is that students come away from their classes without "having developed the ability to think coherently about social

After reading this chapter of Lies My Teacher Told Me, the reader finds out information that is shocking and completely different compared to what they have been taught. Not to mention it makes sense. Ideas have either been falsified or twisted into something that is not entirely true. History textbooks really do leave out the information or give the wrong information, that could really make history more enjoyable and interesting for its

The novel “Lies my teacher told me everything your american history textbook got wrong” By James w. Loewe, is basically what the title states. Certain things about history that we know we learn from our textbooks that our school provides us. Im not saying that what the school is giving us is wrong. But, the textbook itself is not providing the full information. So, as i read this novel i learned certain things that i did not know before. Like if Columbus Day should actually be celebrated or not. Or more importantly the day we have an incredible feast; thanksgiving what is that really about?. After reading this book things started to get

As the professor James W Loewer, author of the book, referred that Americans have lost touch with their history. Our teachers and textbooks play important roles in our history study. However, it is their eliding and misrepresenting factoids that have been obstacles in our history studying. Because access to too much errors and distortion, many Americans can hardly understand the past of the country. As a result, we lack the ability to reflect on what’s going on right now and in the future.

Over the past few weeks of class, we have covered the first five chapters of our textbook, written by George Brown Tindell and David Emory Shi called, “America, A Narrative History.” Each chapter told the reader a narration of the history of America, as opposed to an expository version of America’s history. Each chapter had its own main idea over a portion of history, along with many details that cover the importance of the main idea. As a reader, one may obtain a deeper appreciation for the country 's history, prior to entering the class on the first day. The most important aspect of history, besides the battles that are fought, is the different cultures that make up today’s modern America.

In the essay “Rewriting American History,” Frances FitzGerald discussed her analysis of American history as it was portrayed in history books in the 1950’s, to how it was portrayed in 1979. FitzGerald grew up in the 1950’s and published this essay in 1979, within that time she observed the changes that had been made to the American history books, and was not in favor of how the new version of the book was looking, as it lacked things like fact, objectivism from the author, and permanence. FitzGerald was concerned that the changes that have been made will make it difficult for the students to learn the information, as well as a possibility that American history was being changed from its original form.

A more pressing matter is that of the history in the classroom. With the one sided history being instructed to Native students bring a message that “Their history does not matter,” alienation begins to form and all motivation soon leaves the students (Laura).

I have long advocated for social equality and been aware of the prevalence of racism. However, my forethought now seems insignificant compared to the degree of racism that James W. Loewen suggests is indoctrinating the minds and classrooms of America’s youth. Loewen takes readers on an enlightening journey through his book, Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong, that intends to expose the false claims and lack of information in standard American high school history textbooks. He aims to set the record straight on how and why American history is so misrepresented and why it is important to represent history accurately and not limitedly. Throughout the book, he largely focuses on the shortcomings or outright fallacies of historical textbooks in regards to racism, government, colonialism, and patriotism. Loewen serves this book to bring about institutional change where he feels that it is needed and to stress the importance of factual historical information and realpolitik. He displays vast amounts of logical and thoroughly descriptive anecdotes and facts, however, the scrambled organization of his topics, and his clear devotion and passion for the theme of social justice and anti-racism present the problem of bombardment. Furthermore, he does not appeal to his suggested audience in adequate rhetorical manner that is consistent with his declared purpose of the book.

Our nation’s history plays an important role in American society, it sets forth the foundation on which our morals and values are based on as Americans. If we truly are one united nation under God, and our morals and values are based on what history tells us, why is it then that there is so much disparity among the American people. One reason is that our history textbooks and what we are taught by educational leaders only emphasize American Exceptionalism. The history of our nation is not fully disclosed, it omits the nasty and ugly parts. It is time that the U.S. let their skeletons out of the closet, the truth needs to be told no matter how ugly or nasty it is. The period in history known as the Nadir of Race relations, 1890 through the1960’s between whites and blacks is a prime example of American Exceptionalism.