American Revolution -- British are bad guys

Bullgrit

Adventurer

• Oct 8, 2013

• #1

My 12 year old son is currently studying the American Revolutionary period of US history. He just this moment asked me about this:

In the US, the colonists are the good guys and the British are presented as the bad guys. The British are the oppressors, fighting against American freedom. (My son understands this is a simplification. We've discussed "good guys" and "bad guys" in history and war many times.)

How does British elementary education present the colonists and the British? He asked, "Do they say the British were bad guys fighting against American freedom?"

That's a good question -- one that could be asked of any war. Like how do the Japanese and Germans (and Italians) present their "sides" regarding WWII?

Anyway. I told my son that I have some British sources I could ask right now

Bonus: What do other nations teach about the American Revolution? I know it's not as directly important to other nations, but I'd think that the subject/time period would be at least mentioned in some way. (Our education covers important chapters in other countries' histories.)

Bullgrit

 

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Morrus

Well, that was fun

Staff member

• Oct 8, 2013

• #2

I don't recall it particularly covered at school. I'm sure it was briefly covered at some point (because I was aware it had happened) but I have no specific recollection of it. That said, I'm also sure the curriculum the kids do is very different these days. I'm 100% sure I'd remember if I'd been taught we were "bad guys" and that it was about "freedom", though; that seems most unlikely. I think it was taught in the context of the overall ongoing conflict with France, which is given some importance.

The Germans are taught that their country was in the wrong in WWII; indeed certain symbols from that horrific time are illegal in the entire country.

 

G

GSHamster

Adventurer

• Oct 9, 2013

• #3

Don't forget that the British have a lot more history to cover. In particular, that time period has the Jacobite Rebellions, the Seven Years War, and then the struggle with Napoleon at the end of the century.

My guess that they would minimize the importance of the American Revolution in comparison to these other wars. Of course, that's assuming they teach that century's history at all.

After all, how much are American children taught about the Spanish-American War, or even the War of 1812?

The American Revolution is your origin story. Thus like the origin stories of Spider-man and Superman, it assumes a vastly more significant role in your cultural mythology.

 

Kramodlog

Naked and living in a barrel

• Oct 9, 2013

• #4

Québec was conquered by the British and in Québec schools, they are the baddies. In Canada, the conquest is mentioned has something positive. It really is what the powers that be want it to be.

Same for the Constitution. For Québecois, the night it was negociated (without Québec's Prime Minister present) it is called the Night of Long Knifes. In Canada it is called the Kitchen Meeting. Two nations, two history.

 

Kaodi

Hero

• Oct 9, 2013

• #5

I do not know about Britain but in Canada I think we sort of depict the United Empire Loyalists as the good guys. Americans get depicted as bad guys insofar as they were jerks to the United Empire Loyalists. Other than that there is not a lot of focus on the good-guy/bad-guy narrative; just the our guys/their guys one. Really, we do not so much learn about the American Revolution during the compulsive history component of grade school so much as we learn about the United Empire Loyalist migration into Canada at that time.

 

Kaodi

Hero

• Oct 9, 2013

• #6

How are the French King and aristocrats from that time depicted, [MENTION=55961]goldomark[/MENTION] ?

 

N

Nagol

Unimportant

• Oct 9, 2013

• #7

Kaodi said:

How are the French King and aristocrats from that time depicted, [MENTION=55961]goldomark[/MENTION] ?

Click to expand...

Rarely discussed in Upper Canada, from memory. The few times they are mentioned is from slightly later events affecting North America, like the Louisiana sale.

The actions of the French King that formed the Quebec colonies and then permanently exiled the colonists when they had the temerity to want to return after their multi-year contracts were complete was never discussed.

 

Kramodlog

Naked and living in a barrel

• Oct 9, 2013

• #8

Kaodi said:

How are the French King and aristocrats from that time depicted, <!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention -->@goldomark<!-- END TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention --> ?

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People who abandonned us, and North America, for the sugar islands of the caribbeans.

 

Scrivener of Doom

Adventurer

• Oct 9, 2013

• #9

Bullgrit said:

(snip) How does British elementary education present the colonists and the British? He asked, "Do they say the British were bad guys fighting against American freedom?" (snip)

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I'm Australian but grew up in a time when we learnt a fair bit of British history.

The American rebellion, oops, revolution ( ) was painted fairly accurately: as a desire for independence from the UK. "Freedom" was never the buzzword used, and that seems to have gained more currency in the past couple of decades as "freedom" has declined.

As for Japan, the WWII period - and the pre-WWII period that included the Rape of Nanjing et al - is basically glossed over in their textbooks. I actually now live in a city in the Philippines which was firebombed by the Japanese in WWII. Fortunately, though, Filipinos have really, really, really short memories (the US atrocities of 1898 onwards where around 10% of the population - men, women and children - are virtually unknown now but the records still exist, ironically enough, in the US Senate where enquiries were held into the massacres) so the Japanese are very much forgiven. The Japanese also build a lot of Philippine infrastructure - and donate cash to pay for it - so that keeps the politicians onside as well as they pocket, on average, 200% of the value of all infrastructure projects that take place in their region.

 

Man in the Funny Hat

Hero

• Oct 9, 2013

• #10

Bullgrit said:

My 12 year old son is currently studying the American Revolutionary period of US history. He just this moment asked me about this:

In the US, the colonists are the good guys and the British are presented as the bad guys. The British are the oppressors, fighting against American freedom. (My son understands this is a simplification. We've discussed "good guys" and "bad guys" in history and war many times.)

Click to expand...

As long as he understands that it IS a simplification. The tragedy is that the simplest version of events is all US students are likely to be taught, and even setting aside the historical significance there are so many truly fascinating people (on both sides) and events in the Revolution to learn about.