It’s a tough question about how much grotesque violence we want to focus on from one period of American history to another. I disagree that HCR’s version of history is too tidy. In any historical narrative, choices have to be made about what points are being made. Of course the north was tied economically with the south’s slave profits. …
It’s a tough question about how much grotesque violence we want to focus on from one period of American history to another. I disagree that HCR’s version of history is too tidy. In any historical narrative, choices have to be made about what points are being made. Of course the north was tied economically with the south’s slave profits. And there were people living in the north who were or had been slave traders. It’s a given since we were all tied together before the civil war. What stands out to me is how early the struggle began to keep slavery legal. Another astounding force is the obstruction that remained in effect to the human rights of freed slaves. And we’re still reckoning with this evil.
It *is* a tough question, isn't it. I had an uncommon 6th grade teacher in the 80s who spent the whole year focusing on the Civil War as the main theme while we checked off boxes in other areas as well. She didn't mince words - we learned the (truly) gorey details of the Nat Turner Rebellion, how horrid the seige of Vicksburg truly was, what enslaved people really went through - all kinds of stuff. We were 12, but we could handle it. I think we underestimate the capacity of the moral brain of pre-teens, and I find myself looking to Germany's practices in terms of education and reckoning with the past. We've never really had the same approach here in the US, and perhaps we should.
I’m not up on Germany’s approach but as to the gorey part of war I think the use of films like Lincoln which had scenes of the amputations and discarded body parts can get those difficult parts across so the teacher can focus on the other important parts like the whys and the how did it come to this. I think many teens can deal with sordid stuff but why dwell on it when the other ideas like economics and moral issues plant seeds of questioning and understanding.
Germany's approach to reckoning with its past would be Another great post for you to write. I have often wondered about it, and re Japan as well. What a perfect subject for our times.
It’s a tough question about how much grotesque violence we want to focus on from one period of American history to another. I disagree that HCR’s version of history is too tidy. In any historical narrative, choices have to be made about what points are being made. Of course the north was tied economically with the south’s slave profits. And there were people living in the north who were or had been slave traders. It’s a given since we were all tied together before the civil war. What stands out to me is how early the struggle began to keep slavery legal. Another astounding force is the obstruction that remained in effect to the human rights of freed slaves. And we’re still reckoning with this evil.
It *is* a tough question, isn't it. I had an uncommon 6th grade teacher in the 80s who spent the whole year focusing on the Civil War as the main theme while we checked off boxes in other areas as well. She didn't mince words - we learned the (truly) gorey details of the Nat Turner Rebellion, how horrid the seige of Vicksburg truly was, what enslaved people really went through - all kinds of stuff. We were 12, but we could handle it. I think we underestimate the capacity of the moral brain of pre-teens, and I find myself looking to Germany's practices in terms of education and reckoning with the past. We've never really had the same approach here in the US, and perhaps we should.
I’m not up on Germany’s approach but as to the gorey part of war I think the use of films like Lincoln which had scenes of the amputations and discarded body parts can get those difficult parts across so the teacher can focus on the other important parts like the whys and the how did it come to this. I think many teens can deal with sordid stuff but why dwell on it when the other ideas like economics and moral issues plant seeds of questioning and understanding.
Germany's approach to reckoning with its past would be Another great post for you to write. I have often wondered about it, and re Japan as well. What a perfect subject for our times.