#ooc

had to explain what the reformation was in a theater class

That had to sting.

or the cold war

or the enlightenment

In my AP Lit class, I'm teaching the literary periods in socio-political contexts, so they get some idea of what people were thinking at different times, and why the literature is the way it is.

oh, and the industrial revolution

Same with plays - they are lit, exist in a social context

and, good god, the sociology of dress

Right? Yes.

Yeah. People (Not just kids) are terrible at history in the US it seems. I love the stuff, but I admit to being a dabbler.

Of course, I really don't have much sympathy for the Europeans who grumble about Americans being ignorant of Geography when what they mean is Europe. I'm like "Great... here's a blank map of the US... tell me where Idaho is and I'll feel bad about us not knowing where to find Croatia"

I hated US history. It was so utterly, impossibly dry, the way it was taught to me.

Housemate's daughter had the same problem.

It's hard to find a history teacher who puts a little passion into it the delivery. I know they're not paid to be theaspians, but it helps

I love history

It was either taught as a series of primary-source documents to read and be tested on, or as a series of battles and treaties. It was never taught as one long story, with cause-and-effect and WHY people did what they did. Bleh.

if my student evals are to be believed, I do okay at teaching it

But it's the PEOPLE that make history fascinating.

🙂 I believe it, Cat.

I can get very enthusiastic

G I've noticed 😉

I hate when history teachers don't focus at all on the personalities of the people involved.

Can't understand dress without understanding history

OR plays

they were bourne from a specific time/place/outlook

Theodore Roosevelt is a furking action hero. Tell some kid how he gets shot in the chest, keeps doing the speach, and then opens his vest to say "but it'll take more than this to keep a Bull Moose down" when he could have flipping died, and I know at least two kids will be 'that is awesome"

All the kids know HItler was bad. But few know how vengefully hateful Stalin was. You want bad guys kid? We had to work with a monster to beat a monster. And don't think we were angels... OR devils, we're so much more interesting than that.

if teddy were a fictional character he would be called too unbelievable

See, I never heard that story about Teddy R!

Because they teach dates and locations, but they don't always teach about what reveals the character.

That kind of stuff would have kept me interested.

There's a series of documentaries we watched last year about American History, and they approached it from more of that angle...and I loved them.

Oliver Stone's The Untold History of the United States.

George Washington has troops, American troops, that haven't been paid in ...forever. They're hungry, they're tired, they're pissed and they're ignored, and they want to march onto DC and TAKE what is due them. There's serious talk of this. Then the General comes up, ready to talk them out of it, pulls out his speech, and then takes out his glasses, saying "You must forgive me gentlmen..." and tells them that in sacrificing his years to his nation which he loves, he appears to have lost much of his eyesight. The speech is barely read because the soldiers, HIS Soldiers, are in tears. Grown men. And a military coup is stopped by Washington because his men love him too much

I had never heard of Henry Wallace before.

Wow...another one I had never heard. Geez.

George is my favorite US President, not just because he was the first. But because he was the American Cincinatus. He had all this power and ...could have been an emperor at least in pretense, and instead it was just "mr. President" and nothing more... and he said eight years was enough. Napeleon, when he was offered his chance at emperor jumped at it, and when his name became cursed, was said to have said "They wanted me to be another Washington". Yes, yes they did. You were the better general but a worse leader.

yes!

Hamilton the musical is entirely accurate to say the least, but I'm delighted that it renewed interest

i should load the car

booooo

Where you off to, Cat?

home

Safe trip over the river mountains and woods.

MY house

nah, all highway from mom to ytown

You get to sleep in your own bed tonight. 🙂

Beware on the way , of old women offering apples, of strange short men asking for a favor later in exchange for gold they give now, and if you should see a monkey's paw for sale by some vendor. Do not take it. At any price.

Magic beans are a crapshoot.

be nice to old ladies that are hungry, though