Analysis Of Lies My Teacher Told Me

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There is a saying that history tends to repeat itself and this intact is restated in Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen. We seem to study the past and touch on delicate topics but after the semester ends we forget about it and do not go back to refresh what we have memorized. All high school and middle schools do today is memorize without reason making the learning experience also a thing of the past. We are taught all these facts and opinions that we soon tend to forget our past. Loewen definitely refreshes memories of his readers by demonstrating how American history textbooks are full of lies and leave out the little details that were very important. The discovery of the “New World” was the gateway to a new era of social …show more content…

Society tries to conquer and impose the ideologies that have came to existence. The United States is not just trying to impose the english language, they are trying to Americanize all the countries they can get to. Many citizens of the United States have tried to impose the culture so much that much of the international business is done in english. The United States Military has more than 1000 military bases around the world to “keep the peace” within countries. Just like society today tries to impose the American culture, the Europeans were successful imposing theirs. An interesting point Loewen makes is that “Colombus, like Christ, was so pivotal that historians use him to divide the past into epochs, making the Americas before 1492 [a nonexistent era] ‘pre-Columbian’” (32). This is the beginning of the United States becoming what it is today. Many historical textbook authors go with this discovery and establish it as the beginning of the “New World” however, Loewen tells us that although the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus was historic, the New World may have been discovered by Africans and people of other countries. After the discovery there were people who established themselves here in the Americas and people were so full of themselves, they believed that they were so superior to the Natives. The Natives were mandated to speak english and convert to Christianity and that is what society is doing …show more content…

People are so fascinated by our so called heroes such as Columbus and only decide to look at all the good they have brought onto world. Ignorance is so widely spread because no high school history teacher wants to bring up controversial topics. Just like Columbus people are greedy and only want the gold. Loewen asks “Why don’t textbooks mention arms as a facilitator of exploration and domination?”(37). Like previously mentioned, it is because of fear of controversy. The fear of truth is what keeps our high school and middle school teachers from touching delicate topics such as exploitation, human trafficking, and other organized crime. Loewen basically states that history is written by the winners which are usually European descendants. It wouldn’t make any sense to write history and include our downfalls. Many people portrayed as heroes will be seen as criminals and soulless people. People chose to write the side of the story they want to be told and that the rest is forgotten, but that is what stops society from facing reality. Not knowing everything about our history is a facilitator for people who want to be in power and that is one of the reasons why the white man always wins. It is always a one sided story with no if ands or buts told by the

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