How much does your history class really teach you about history?

Twilight: How much does your history class really teach you about history?
I mean general history, not just American history. From what I’ve heard you don’t really get taught a lot about other histories, like French, Indian, Canadian, etc., unless it comes to play a part of American history. Like I’m sure when learning about the 2 world wars, you’ll hear a bit about German history, eh? But what about besides that? You don’t learn anything else about German history, do you?
I already do my own studying, but I think schools should start to teach kids about more than just American history in history class. Otherwise it’s not really living up to its name, now is it?

Personally I would like it if in order to pass history class, you had to learn about American history, and also another foreign history of your choice. I mean maybe the kids will find out that they have some heritage coming from different countries, and they can learn about their other heritage history to pass the class. Wouldn’t that make a good idea to maybe make history seem a little less boring for a lot of people??

Answers and Views:

Answer by Wounded Duck
Mine taught me a lot. But more to the point, if you are interested in other countries history, nothing is stopping you from independent study.

Answer by peterburg
”but I think schools should start to teach kids about more than just American history in history class”

That’s the point!!!
Every nation makes patriotic fillings using history classes… Kids will not love their country and heroes if teachers teach on this way (for example):
1. Do you know how many people were killed in this war by our solders?
2. Do you know that our president hadn’t respect peace-keeping contract when he decided….?

So, I think that teachers sometimes have to lie… Or just to ignore some facts… Oppositely, kids will make questions and they will try to doubt in own nation… Because, in eyes of every kid, his/her country is the best, the most equitable!
It is really complex question and it touches sociology, ideas of own country, how much is it preapared for talking about past…

Answer by Boboftheplains
Personally I don’t think kids get taught enough history period, there’s a huge percentage of American kids who don’t know when World War II was or what the Great Depression was all about.

Our problem was pretty much the opposite, when we were in school they taught us multiculturalism and all histories except American history. I don’t want to sound like a patriotic stooge, but I just found it interesting there was a district out there that was the opposite.

But you are right, kids need foreign history as well otherwise they won’t grow up very knowledgeably about the world out there (and we aren’t very isolated anymore). Perhaps a general world history course would bring about samples of cultural histories from across the world to at least introduce kids to them that stuff and encourage them to investigate more.