Let’s face it – many students believe that social studies is dead and history is written in stone. Our subject seems static musty and old (at least in the eyes in our students and, yes, much of the population) . I'd like to challenge this thought by posting a news article I've run across:
Rosenbergs' sons admit father was spy
In the early 1950s, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed for the crime of espionage – it was said that they had passed on information about America's atomic bomb to Soviet enemies. This may not strike many of you as being strange, but my heart jumped when I saw it run across the news ticker. In high school, I had learned that the guilt and eventual execution of the Rosenbergs was unfounded. I remember my own history teacher (and textbook!) telling my class that these deaths where just a product of the blind fervour which was popular during the time.
It excited me that there was new evidence in this case – this example shows how our subject is ever-changing and shifting. And we, as teachers and deliverers of knowledge, must try our best to keep up to date.
I was wondering what your thoughts are on the different ways social studies teachers may become researchers and observers of history. Are there any activities you can think of which might inspire our students to take on the same roles? Also, can you think of any other cases which involved the changing and rewriting of history after new evidence was uncovered?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
7 comments:
Wow, that is pretty amazing that after all this time, it is finally revealed that Rosenburg wasn't just caught in a false conspiracy, but was actually guilty. Social studies teachers can be observers of history by travelling and documenting and photographing. For example, I took a trip to Israel last summer and photographed artifacts and monuments which can be used in classes on Biblical history, Greek and Roman antiquities, Arab conquests, Ottoman Empire history or history of the modern middle eastern situation. Students can take the role of a historian by doing newspaper analysis which involves them looking at an old newspaper, documenting what they read and then describing how the view or information on the event has changed over the years.
One historical event that comes to mind which was rewritten was the Katyn Massacre. This was an incident which occured in 1940, when the Soviet secret service murdered 20,000 Polish officers, intelligensia and POWs. The Nazi's discovered the grave pits in 1943, and published their findings, blaming the Soviet Union. Being the enemy of Canada, Britain, USA etc., the Nazis were blamed of orchestrating the massacre and then using it for propaganda. During the cold war, it was widely suspected, but not proven, that the Soviet Union was responsible for the massacre. In 1990, they admitted to doing it.
That is really interesting stuff, both of you!! I hadn't heard either of those things but it definitely reminds me of other stories that come up from countries involved in wars and all of the propoganda that surrounds almost every bit of information that gets to us (the general public.) The way the media "spins" things still baffles me. Maybe something having to do with that would be a good thing to include in or base a lesson around to get some critical thinking into students' heads!!
Danika, you reminded me of something when you mentioned the media 'spin’. We've got to remind students that historical media twisted fact together with fiction as well - one example that came to mind was the treatment of the Boston Massacre. Really, only five died because of the incident - it was men like Paul Revere along with Massachusetts-published papers and pamphlets which made it such a sensation.
Very true, the media is very important in shaping our views on issues, since it is often the only source we can get information from for current events.
One of the most offensive crimes in history was the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki - the only bombs to be dropped on cities to date. The history 12 text book, "the World This Century" by Neil DeMarco offers a view of the incidents, and of the War in the Pacific in general, that is not only preposterously false and biased today, but was also contentious in 1987, the date of publication.
The Empire's adage that the Japanese would have fought on, tooth and nail, to the last child, and that dropping the bombs was the only way to stop the Japanese scourge from consolidating its hold on South East Asia is not surprisingly found here. We know, as did deMarco, that by September of 1945 the Japanese were without food, medical supplies, ammunition, steel, petroleum and oil and that it was impossible for them to continue their war machine. It was also stated that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour. This, of course, is true, but deMarco neglected to reason why. The historical record, if consulted, would remind us that the Republic of America had been openly threatening Japan for months in the domestic and international press as well as isolating them economically for some time.
I am reminded by this text that while much media is undeveloped at the time of press, historical text books do not need to make the same errors. It is with the same arrogance and exceptionalsim that the US attacks other states today. A collective amnesia allows for this to happen.
Great introductory posting!
Reading this makes me think of the Soviet era joke from Russia, which goes- you can never predict the past. Of course the joke referred to the official textbooks and historical accounts that changed with each arrival of a new party secretary. However, I feel the joke can also be taken as a statement of fact, that we can't really say what will be revealed about our past or our world in the future.
History is re-evaluated ( and probably should be ) all the time. Sometimes it is is big revelations such as when it was revealed in the mid 70's that the Allies had cracked all the German Enigma codes during WWII. And sometime it is a small change or discovery that adds to our greater understanding of an issue.
In any case, we should be aware that the given "truths" may change or evolve over time and we should be willing to accept new conclusions as they come along.
You hooked me. I am dying for time as in there are not enough hours in the day but now I am jumping all over the net trying to find out more information on this. I guess that's just it though isn't it trying to find a way in. Thanks you.
L.
Post a Comment