Posted on 01/06/2010 11:19:54 AM PST by pillut48
"This nationwide survey of American adults revealed that nearly every one of us cares about the American Revolution. More than nine in 10 Americans agreed that it is important for us to know the history of and principles forged during Americas War for Independence. This belief is shared by Americans across all demographic categories and political affiliations. Yet when tested on basic knowledge of the American Revolution and our Founding documents, 83 percent of Americans scored an average of 44 percent. We are failing our Founders."
(Excerpt) Read more at americanrevolutioncenter.org ...
Oops. Glenn Beck has nothing to do with this report, aside from discussing it on his radio program. Hat tip goes to him.
Documenting the American South: Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
The enemy (maybe) of my enemy is my (maybe)....friend.
History says that only about 35% of colonists were in favor of breaking away from England ....
At a nearby school in a predominantly Republican County, teachers, parents and administrators decided against teaching American history, because they consider it to be too “patriarchal.” They opted for a class on Sacagawea instead (another amazonian feminism story). Bring on the defaults, and let’s start over.
The 1/3 figure is more about how many of the colonist were in favor of the War, specifically before the Victory at Delaware. However, many more were in favor of independence or some form of greater self-governance. Almost all were in favor of greater western expansion which England opposed and outlawed.
The school where my brother attends teach american history and the majority are latinos, and I am amazed how much my brother knows about the constitution. BTW,that school is not part of the LAUSD.
And there are the Europhiles, too, of course—another contingent of those who want to censor history about “dead white men” (man-haters, globalists and other politically correct elite).
I was taught that about 1/3 wanted independence; 1/3 wanted to remain British; and 1/3 were ambivalent.
(Pretty much the way folks are today on most subjects!)
In an ironic twist, the government we live under now is more tyrannical than the king from whom we declared our independence.
Probably because they didn't want to make France mad who owned about a third of America at that time ...
Leno used to have a “Man On the Street” segment where he would ask basic questions like these...the ignorance was staggering!! :*(
That is still an important lesson for us today: You don't need a majority to really change things! Just a very dedicated minority.
Actually it was part of the peace treaty that ended the French and Indian War. The purpose was to get the Indian nations to come to peace with the English. The Crown was correct in trying to enforce it.
We were angry about it because we didn't have a say in the formulation of that treaty.
I always hoped that those were scripted responses and not really reflective of the education of the average American. However, last November convinced me otherwise.
Unfortunately I was one of those with a poor knowledge of the Rev War despite growing up near Valley Forge and Brandywine battlefields and watching Swamp Fox on TV (phys ed major!)but have recently delved into it with a vengeance. I’m about a third through the Federalists Papers — tough reading but interesting and necessary.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.