Why do we teach little kids lies?

[Apocalypse]

Re: Why do we teach little kids lies?

Columbus wanted to prove the world was round - Same here
The pilgrims of the Mayflower landed at plymouth rock- Same here
The early settlers and Indians gwere friendly toward eachother - Same here
The Revolutionary war was won easily - Same here
none of the founding fathers owned slaves - Slaverly was not mentioned until around 5th grade
The indians were all peaceful innocent civilians - Until 4th grade

[loinburger]

I don't remember anything that I was taught in school prior to 5th grade anyway, and not much prior to 9th grade either.

[Adalbertus]

Columbus wanted to prove the world was round - Same here

I think at that time the sea way to India and the proof of the earth being round was still quite the same. Of course there were strong suspicions at that time that the earth was round, and of course Columbus had more the mercantile than the philosophical aspect in mind when he went to the Spanish king for money (what else than economical benefits could he have brought to him?), but it was still daring to trust a theory which wasn't globally accepted. (And IIRC, Columbus got wrong distances so that when he discovered America, he was convinced to be in India).

[Bosh]

Of course there were strong suspicions at that time that the earth was round

It was common knowledge among educated people that the world was round since the greeks.

Columbus got wrong distances so that when he discovered America, he was convinced to be in India

That's because he fudged the numbers by digging up the smallest estimate of the world's size and the longest estimated of the length of asia he could find.

[Thrawn05]

Originally posted by Dan Severn
They teach the same BS everywhere in the US.

In Texas.... they won't be teaching about the Alamo anymore because it offends Mexicans...

All I learned in school was PC BS. This is why I won't take history in college... those teachers have an agenda.

[Adalbertus]

It was common knowledge among educated people that the world was round since the greeks.

Looks like a narrow view on "educated". Most "educated" people before Renaissance (and including the Greek) had taken those who believed in a round earth as "not educated" or rather "wrongly educated". Hegel proved that there can be only five planets (excluding earth): Mercur, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. During his lifetime (around 1830), Uranus and Neptun were discovered. He replied: The worse for reality if it doesn't agree with theory. It is usually forgotten that he cited a greek philosopher (and I think it was Aristotle).

[Dr Strangelove]

I've never liked Hegel. Wasn't he a proto-Nazis?

[The Emperor Fabulous]

We learned about the Trail of Tears in 4th grade...what "lies" is that?

[flash9286]

jefferson owned slaves really i thought he was againest slavery

[David Floyd]

[Thrawn05]

Originally posted by Adalbertus
During his lifetime (around 1830), Uranus and Neptun were discovered.

I read a couple of books on that... it was nasty. IIRC... someone was so bitter and refused to accept Uranus as a planet he shot someone i think.

[flash9286]

wait typed in wrong name George Washington freed his slaves after he died.

[Bosh]

Most "educated" people before Renaissance (and including the Greek) had taken those who believed in a round earth as "not educated" or rather "wrongly educated".

The simple fact that there's only two written sources (or only two written church sources, forget which) from the dark ages/renaissance that claim that the earth is flat and both are from obscure theologians from the early dark ages. The whole "everyone thought that the earth was flat" is simply a myth, it was even less reputable than creationism is now since not even the church authorities were flat earthers.

[johncmcleod]

Yeah, after he died. That's because after that it wouldn't matter to him anymore. When he was alive, they worked for him. Yes, he probably thought it was wrong but was too weak to give them up. Though my teachers have left huge holes in history, I didn't get some of the crap you did. We didn't learn about Jamestown until like 6th grade, but then again, that was sort of a military settlement. They were all soldiers, while on the Mayflower was mostly people who wanted to go to the US for religious freedoms and such, and they weren't commisioned to it by the government. Don't laugh if I'm completely wrong, cuz I'm only in 9th grade going to school in a hick state and teachers haven't taught me much about history.

[flash9286]

well the only thing i heard becuase he didnt free his slaves earlier was becuase he thought it would rip the nation apart. Hey im only in the tenth grade