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Comparing Historical Viewpoints

Directions: Although historians all believe studying History is important, they don’t all agree about why we study History or how we should study History. Read the following views about the study of History from three distinguished American historians and then decide what you think. After you read the historians’ viewpoints, write down what you agree and disagree with about each historian’s view.

|Historian |Howard Zinn, |James Loewen, |Larry Schweikart, |

| |Progressive historian and activist |Progressive historian and textbook critic |Conservative historian |

|Their View |“Doing history is all a matter of selection and deciding what |“Textbooks also keep students in the dark about the nature|“An honest evaluation of the history of the United States must|

| |is important; and you decide what is important, really, on the|of history. History is furious debate informed by |begin and end with the recognition that, compared to any other|

| |basis of your present concerns…Today we’re facing a situation |evidence and reason period. Textbooks encourage students |nation, America’s past is a bright and shining light. America|

| |where all attention is focused on government…that kind of |to believe that history is facts to be learned….Textbooks |was, and is, the shining city upon a hill, the fountain of |

| |focus…drives home to the American people the [false] idea that|are often muddled [confused] by the conflicting desires to|hope, the beacon of liberty…time and again America’s leaders |

| |we are passive, that the making of history is not up to us, |promote inquiry [curiosity] and indoctrinate [brainwash] |have willingly shared power with those who had none…” |

| |that it’s all up to those people in Washington…people ARE |blind patriotism.” | |

| |protesting… and people are trying to change things, but they | | |

| |don’t make the national news.” | | |

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Comparing Historical Viewpoints

Directions: Although historians all believe studying History is important, they don’t all agree about why we study History or how we should study History. Read the following views about the study of History from three distinguished American historians and then decide what you think. After you read the historians’ viewpoints, write down what you agree and disagree with about each historian’s view.

|Summarize the main ideas of |(Zinn) |(Loewen) |(Schweikart) |

|the passage in your own words.|Progressive or Conservative (Circle one) |Progressive or Conservative (Circle one) |Progressive or Conservative (Circle one) |

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|What do you agree/ disagree | | | |

|with about this view? | | | |

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|How is the way we teach U.S. | | | |

|History important for American| | | |

|Identity? | | | |

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