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No question, History is a very difficult subject to teach and discuss. It will always be affected by the point of view of the teller. As an outsider, it is easy for me to criticize the Japanese for their reluctance to teach the truth of World War II in their textbooks. And yet your essay gives a partial laundry list of our own myths.
Also, my child was born on 9/11/01. I wonder when and how am I going to explain the events of that day without causing him permanent psychological damage.
Last year, feeling the same squeamishness as we headed into Thanksgiving for First Graders, I did a little digging. I had also just finished reading "1491," which deeply colored my perspective as well.
(I wrote about it myself here, much shorter and less eloquently).
Anyway, check this link:
http://www.ewebtribe.com/
NACultu...anksgiving.html
I also managed to find at least one book in the library that pointed out the whole "no one but Squanto was there because everyone else had already died of European diseases" problem. They're out there. They're just not easy to find.
Well put, Flea.
This stuff is all so heavy. I'm thinking I'll get into it more when Ben's maybe 9 years old. Ach!
Bless you. I'm teaching US history at the college level, and I'm _still_ struggling with getting my students to understand and respect the lives and cultures of the diverse people we call "Indians" - it's so, so easy to slide into a mode of "it's all so complicated and messy to remember the differences between Iroquois and Hopi and Cherokee and aren't most of them gone now, so why can't I just keep calling all of them Indians and visualizing them with feathers in their hair."
Pretending history is simple doesn't make it so - and the sooner we hear this, the better able we are to deal with the fact that life IS messy and hard and complicated.
(Stepping off my soapbox - sorry for the rant.)
Can you make me doubt my move to the burbs anymore than with this post? In my urban high school days we had the the alternative stories in history told over and over and over. (To the point that it bothered some white classmates' parents). I am clinging to the idea of my kids going to AP classes, where I learned so much. But the teachers have such leeway to present materials and focus on different topics. I guess I'll have to make the effort at home-I already get into linguistical knots trying to tell my 6 year old things. Like why it bothers me when she say "Indians" and not American Indian or Native American. I feel so wordy and overbearing. But maybe the good fight will work better when she is a few years older.
One thing that can be nice (in retrospect - I don't think I loved hearing it when I was a kid) is talking about how Pilgrims didn't know enough about America to grow food or get along with the people here before or after Thanksgiving. Which tells us three things:
1. Learning is important
and
2. There's one thing that can bring everybody together - respect for nature, i.e. harvest, celebrated in every culture around the world. And that the power of growing and eating food is so big that you can even share harvest with people you don't like.
and
3. That some of the extra profits from your work can be shared with needy people, even you worked really hard to get those profits, and even when the needy people are mean to you in return.
/midwest farmer's daughter propaganda replete with nature = working the land
I like that, funnie! I'll tell him that and see what happens.
hey, congrats to alex on getting such an important part in the readaloud play.
When you're teaching kids about oppression, it's really important to teach them about white people who supported the Indians/blacks/Chinese railroad workers/interned Japanese/Mexican braceros/etc., as well as about Indians/blacks/Chinese railroad workers/interned Japanese/Mexican braceros/etc. who fought back. For the white kids this helps avoid the guilt thing and the sense of helplessness that leads them, later on, to argue that racism is a thing of the past and it's not their fault! For the brown kids, it helps avoid simple ideas about victims/oppressors and introduces the concept of allies.
On the Indian thing, part of what's tough for parents of our generation is that we were never taught about the histories (or existence!) of *specific* tribes, so it's easy to fall back on well-meaning generalizations about Indians loving the earth or whatever. I hear 500 Nations is a good book of remedial history for grownups--I intend to get that, and in the meantime I've been doing some reading about the specific tribe (Chumash) that was in my own local area before the Spanish arrived, so that I can talk to PK about local history as a start.
Also, if either of the boys likes the Little House books, there's Louise Erdrich's Birchbark House.
Heh. My kids came home from school today with a nametag that said "Brave Indian". I was almost afraid to ask what he did in school today.
He's in kindergarten and I've tried to gently counteract some of the Thanksgiving myths, but I don't know how well I'm doing. Because his teacher said so and she knows everything. And never mind that I'm also a teacher (which he knows and understands), but I teach almost grown ups. It isn't the same thing and I obviously don't know nearly as much as the beloved kindergarten teacher.
Delurking to give you another side of the coin: I wasn't raised traditional and I'm not raising my kids traditional, but we are having some interesting conversations with the oldest that being Cherokee doesn't have all that much to do with the casinos. I was conflicted about our recent state centennial, I refuse to acknowledge Columbus' Day, but since Thanksgiving is more about family, gratitude and fried turkey, I'm ok with it.
You know, I struggle with this every year. I love, love, love thanksgiving. I also grew up in a state that's 10% Native American. I went to school with pueblo kids, and learned about the pilgrims with them. And we learned all of the history, the real history, early in school. You have to, when the survivors of the resultant genocide are sitting next to you.
But still, I love thanksgiving. I think I love it by honoring the role of the Native Americans. They greeted visitors, and gave them what they needed, asking only to be treated right. Even to this good Unitarian, that's a very Christian message. We give to others because they need it. Without expectations, and often with sacrifice.
I celebrate Thanksgiving every year far from my family. I invite all my friends over who are also far away from home, and I give them food. And that's what I'm thankful for--that I can give to them when their home is far away.
Maybe those "other settlers" were elves with pointy-toed shoes who wreak havoc everywhere they go!
Seriously, though, I think your explanation to Alex was pretty damn good for such a twisty topic.
A few other things:
1) I had no idea that there is a video game where Mexicans are killed when they cross the border. Seriously, seriously disturbing (not to mention the lynching post cards--how disgusting of a species are we?! I don't actually want to know the answer to that. Ever.)
2) Really not trying to be a nudge, because I totally get your point about Barbara Bush (evil bitch) as well as the continuing Hurricane Katrina debacle, but mention of dogs within that situation just reminds me of the ones that were used for target practice--not necessarily killed, but a lot of them were just shot repeatedly and left to die.
3) Maybe an important point when talking to any child about history is that even if it is upsetting to know what happened, part of why we learn it is to not repeat past mistakes/atrocities. Now, I know. Repetitions everywhere, but, well we can keep trying, right?! And if someone pointed that out already and I missed it, apologies!
4) There's a super funny Buffy episode about Thanksgiving, which actually covers both points of view. Mock me if you will, but that episode (from Season 4) is one of my favorites from the series. I highly recommend watching it. Even if you aren't a Buffy fan, it may still be very enjoyable. And, Dr. B--the Native Americans in this episode are Chumash. So add it and possibly the 500 Nations dvd series to your Thanksgiving research.
Last, but most certainly not least--very glad to hear that Steve is feeling better!
Happy Thanksgiving!
You said it so well, there is nothing to add.
However, the endurance test for the glass teat? Google internet urinal.
http://thumbsnap.com/v/DDwxHkmt.jpg
Had my info wrong, then I had to play with the image thingie.
Schmutzie made a reference to Africville in her post today, an issue which affected me strongly. Shocking.
I'm feeling you.
http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-69-...ety/africville/
I try to counteract the Thanksgiving mythos where possible. Unfortunately, this year I am being distracted by the problem of the teacher giving the only child in the class with a speech impediment (my child), the line about the Wampanoag nation and Patuxet village. So I've restricted myself to pointing out their own NA ancestry - pretty recent, though not prevalent in their day-to-day life, and letting them ponder how Thanksgiving might seem from the NA point-of-view.
Which is not only just one word, but it's a stupid, meaningless word that is completely useless for anything beneficial, such as learning how to say "cocksucker" in American Sign Language.
"Cocksucker" is actually one of those phrases that is really bloody obvious even to non-signers once you start signing it.
Flea, my mom has been having Thanksgiving on the Saturday after for years - it allows her to invite a bunch of people over to have a nice sized feast (her nearby family is pretty small). And bonus, the year the oven element blew out while cooking the turkey, because it was Saturday we could run out & get a new one b/c the hardware store was open. Don't worry if the feast isn't on Thursday.
This is such an important subject. My husband teaches college history, and he notices a persistent trend among students identifying always with the good guys of history -- that is, they will write about what "we" used to do in their papers, and "we" are always northerners, not slaveholders; always immigrant settlers, but not "hypocritical" Puritans or Indian-killers; always abolitionists and women's rights advocates, not white male power holders. College students are often ready to condemn people in the past who had the "wrong" opinions and did the "wrong" things, but they're less willing to try to understand the past for itself. The desire to understand ourselves and our ancestors as having a blameless past is so strong that it can warp how we engage with the past, which makes it difficult for us to be honest about the present.
I get your frustration at how school's generally try to "simplify" what are actually very complex issues -- slavery, etc. However, on the other side of the coin, my kids go to school in a very urban, racially mixed area. And it absolutely drives me bonkers when the whole slavery issue comes up and my (white) kids are basically told that white people are EVIL because we enslaved the "noble" blacks.
So yeah, slavery and racism are terrible. But guess what...whites Americans did not INVENT slavery. Slavery has been around for thousands of years. Black tribes in Africa enslaved each other. Blacks helped sell their "brothers" into white slavery. So, my point is that these are complex issues with deep historical roots and I don't really feel that they are being taught in totality.
And I really resent that, at least in my school district, my kids are somehow made to feel ashamed of who they are because they are the EVIL white people.
Probably this opinion will not make me popular with the folks who read this blog, but there it is.
Tracy, I hear what you're saying. I really do. But pointing out historical warring between African tribes to somehow make white Europeans and Americans feel better about slavery doesn't help the situation or change the past. It's just reducing it to: What can I point out or dig up to make myself feel better about me and my race/culture/religion/sex/age?
The magnitude and impacts of slavery in America is still affecting our culture and politics and communities today. Desegregation happened about 40 years ago--that's all. That isn't even a blip in our time scale. It's insane when you think about it. And since there are still huge ramifications from slavery and the segregation that followed, we have to look at the past to understand what is going on in our society today. And how it could best be mitigated in the present and for the future. Not in a guilt-trip way. That doesn't help anyone.
I think I'm talking in a circle. All I know is that we should feel uncomfortable when we read about slavery, "detention" camps, the destruction of Native American populations, etc. It's a horrible past. But I hope your kids don't feel guilty, because that isn't the message they should be receiving and it won't help anyone move forward.
Regarding kids identifying with the "good guys": My son fought the idea that the US (more specifically, Americans of European descent) are not good and virtuous in every situation. Now, finally, he realizes that we are just like everyone else, no better and no worse. Unfortunately, there is the American mythology which includes Manifest Destiny that is actively promoted by mostly social conservatives. One reason people began homeschooling in the 80's is that they truly believe in Manifest Destiny and that Americans (usually meant to be white Americans) are God's chosen people now. Twenty plus years later we are seeing what havoc that mythology is wreaking in our national debate and in our foreign policy.
You're right. It shouldn't be about guilt, but when history is not whitewashed, we Americans have a difficult time accepting our role in evildoings. Thus, our current debates on whether waterboarding is torture and suspension of habeas corpus.
I have also been very open with my seven year old (at the time she was five) about the honest role white men have played in slavery. It started with Martin Luther King Day. My daughter was in shock to learn that black's had been treated so terribly, especially since her stepfather is black, and her baby brother half. We have had many long discussions about these topics and not just about race but sexual orientation and so on.She has much more understanding than I would have imagined and does not feel any shame in being white nor did I want her to feel guilty, I just want her to realize how lucky we as a family are. She also knows that not so long ago her family would not have been accepted by society. And for that she is grateful. Maybe everyone should stop getting so defensive of the role their race played in history and just be grateful for the roles they as people can play today. Beginning with educating our children.
The "we were the good guys" is something I think about personally. Because while most of my ancestors came here by way of French Canada or upstate NY, or came here in the 20s to work the auto plants -- my grandmother's great-grandfather died in the Civil War. Defending States Rights and slavery and all the rest. When I've done census searches on him, not only do I find him as head of his own family, but he, personally, was the census taker who counted the slaves in his county in 1860. You know, counted them so that 3/5 of each of them could contribute towards getting Virginia a few more Representatives, even though they couldn't vote or own property. What with being property themselves. So there are conversations that have happened, and some that still need to happen, about that. How this family who was central to the Revolution also owned other people, and in fact were available to contribute so much to the Revolution *because* they owned people who they made do all their scut work.
Have any of you read the book "Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong"
by James W. Loewen? It is great at showing how history has been mistaught, what has been omitted and what has been revised in history classrooms and schools. I would recommend it for anyone, but in the context of this discussion, for parents and middle to high school age kids.
http://www.oyate.org/ has some very good stuff about Thanksgiving, and a lot of good recommendations for books for different ages. I think that there's a fine line between telling kids about historical truths, and overwhelming them with horror, and perhaps turning them off history altogether.
Squanto was kidnapped by the English and spent about six years in England, making it back to Mass. just before the Pilgrims arrived - only to find his whole family had died of European diseases. So a lot of his jockeying for political power probably is related to the fact that he had no one but English strangers and the not-very-friendly-in-the-past Native neighbors to find a place for himself amongst.
Interestingly, there is some evidence that he learned to plant fish with grain (for fertilizer) in England.
Nathaniel Philbrook's "Mayflower" is another book (like 1491, which I loved and reviewed here) that is wonderful modern history, warts and all.
I'm thinking about blogging this too...Maia and I are reading "Little House on the Prairie" -- the one with the most Indian references and with the most of Ma's anti-Indian talk. And then Maia came home with her preschool "what I'm thankful for" Thanksgiving drawing, which said, "I'm thankful for Indians." Hoo boy.
I second the "Mayflower" recommendation. Really great book.
History was not my strong suit...then again what was??
Here's to hoping you & your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!!
my partner's been reading "American Colonies: the Settling of North America" by Alan Taylor and has *loved* it. it's got a really good balance of "here's what the Native Americans were doing, bad and good, and here's what the colonists were doing, bad and good, and here's what happened when they came together."
it's been a long time since i was in a place where understanding the historicity of oppression meant that i felt guilty about my European history. i've got quite a while until my child is old enough for any of these discussions, but my inkling is that if we try to approach the topic from the stance of "here's what happened, and here's what some people choose to do about it now, and we all have a responsibility to help each other out" without ascribing historical fault, we might be in okay shape.
speaking, of course, as a person with no kids who has never had to tackle this before and is therefore totally talking out my ass.
Oops. That's "Mayflower", by Nathaniel Philbrick, not Philbrook.
Good information from everyone. I also struggle with this. My kids are ten and seven. My son was in pre-k when 9/11 happened and I have (finally) explained that one to him. It is not easy.
I do understand why they have always "glossed" certain things, like Thanksgiving over though. If my daughter heard the real truth about the Indians at her age now, she would be terrified and cry for a week.
You tell a pretty good story here. Ever thought of doing a children's book?
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