Are we doing a disservice to our children by allowing this story to remain in our History books? (since we know the story itself is a lie).
Seriously, we lie to kids to make them better people constantly. If you wanna get rid of this, get rid of Santa, the Easter Bunny, et al as well. And yes, it's kinda stupid to lie to better people but, it seems, it works ok.
Seriously, we lie to kids to make them better people constantly.
Can you lie to someone to illistrate to them the importance of being honest though? It seems hypocrytical (Although Penn says, I don't mind hypocricy, it doubles the chances of you agreeing with me).
Can you lie to someone to illistrate to them the importance of being honest though?
Only as long as they don't find out, I'd think.
If it is being taught as history, yes, we are doing kids a disservice. If it is being used as allegory and morality tale, it is not a disservice.
The story was a myth made by Washington Irving years after Washington died. It's not, as far as I know, actually taught as history anywhere.
If it is being taught as history, yes, we are doing kids a disservice. If it is being used as allegory and morality tale, it is not a disservice.
That's what I meant. The story was in my history books (way back when), but it was always presented as a myth, not fact.
I do recall being taught that the oft cited tale was, in fact, a fabrication when I was a wee school goin' lad myself.
Me too, unfortunately I didn't learn about the Founding Father's having slaves till a little later and that some of them had affairs with their slaves until much later still.
Yay for white washing history. Thankfully, within the last couple of decades the latter has become more widely known.
Oh, and 90% of the people who have Washington as a last name (as of the 2000 Census) are black.
Just some interesting things I've learned recently.
EDIT: I've been kinda lax on my editing for spelling goofs lately, but 'learned' is one of those words ya just hafta fix.
I just read something about Washington, actually - that he had a "complicated relationship" with slavery, in the fact that he had slaves but he also wanted to abolish slavery - he said something about how the newly-formed nation would not survive unless slavery was abolished. As he got older, this opinion was stronger - in his will, he said to free all of his slaves upon the death of his wife (if she were to survive him - he didn't want to leave her all alone).
Oh, and 90% of the people who have Washington as a last name (as of the 2000 Census) are black.
Just some interesting things I've learned recently.
A lot of slave owners were against slavery. Many bought slaves to protect them, to give them a better life, and/or to free them.
As to lying to teach honesty... You'd be lying to yourself if you think that absolute honesty teaches honesty. But I have never seen this story of Washington chopping down a cherry tree in any history book. From my experience, the story has always been portrayed through fable and other stories, not as canon of American history.
I just read something about Washington, actually - that he had a "complicated relationship" with slavery, in the fact that he had slaves but he also wanted to abolish slavery - he said something about how the newly-formed nation would not survive unless slavery was abolished. As he got older, this opinion was stronger - in his will, he said to free all of his slaves upon the death of his wife (if she were to survive him - he didn't want to leave her all alone).
Oh, and 90% of the people who have Washington as a last name (as of the 2000 Census) are black.
Just some interesting things I've learned recently.
A lot of slave owners were against slavery. Many bought slaves to protect them, to give them a better life, and/or to free them.
As to lying to teach honesty... You'd be lying to yourself if you think that absolute honesty teaches honesty. But I have never seen this story of Washington chopping down a cherry tree in any history book. From my experience, the story has always been portrayed through fable and other stories, not as canon of American history.
+1
Also, there were Jesus' parables, which He told, having no identifiable actual people in them, but to teach moral principles.
Damn piggy. Damned. He Damned him to the janitor's closet.
The real takeaway point from the Washington parable is that the guy left holding the axe gets to write the history.
And you better not **** with George Washington if you're a tree. Or something.
Turns out the real threat wasn't the British, it was the Ents.
Do they still teach that Columbous was the first to know that the world was a globe when everyone else thought it was flat? That was quite a load.
I don't think so. While I don't think the mention Eratosthenes until High School Geometry class, I think they make it clear that educated people knew the earth was round for quite some time. I just wish that the textbooks in HS were as funny as some of the kids answers to questions.
Magellan circumcised the world with a 100' clipper.
Why do water currents run clockwise in the northern hemisphere, and counter-clockwise in the southern hemisphere? Because the southern hemisphere rotates in the opposite direction as the north.
Because the southern hemisphere rotates in the opposite direction as the north.
IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW!
Do they still teach that Columbous was the first to know that the world was a globe when everyone else thought it was flat? That was quite a load.
I don't think so. While I don't think the mention Eratosthenes until High School Geometry class, I think they make it clear that educated people knew the earth was round for quite some time. I just wish that the textbooks in HS were as funny as some of the kids answers to questions.
Magellan circumcised the world with a 100' clipper.
Why do water currents run clockwise in the northern hemisphere, and counter-clockwise in the southern hemisphere? Because the southern hemisphere rotates in the opposite direction as the north.
Well, technically speaking, Magellan only made it about two-thirds of the way around the world. He was killed in the Philippines. The credit really belongs to his navigator, Juan Sebastian Elcano.
Do they still teach that Columbous was the first to know that the world was a globe when everyone else thought it was flat? That was quite a load.
No but they still seem to think he was the first European to discover the Americas. What a load of rubbish.
They taught us that the Vikings were the first to discover the America's.
Well, to be fair it was Newfoundland, eh, and as such it really is not part of the "real Americas."
That is not entirely accurate. If my database is not mistaken, they made several expeditions onto the continent. They failed in establishing a settlement on the mainland possibly due to the hostilities with the indigenous humans.
It was a joke, Klirshon.
Actually, I think the real reason the vikings never established any permanent settlements on the mainland was because they ran into Goldo's ancient ancestors and decided they didn't like them so they didn't hang around...
Actually, America was never "discovered"... it was already there.
Hehe, for once R_H is actually on to something good
History is written by the victors. I say, burn any evidence to the contrary and put that pixie dust up at the Smithsonian.
W... What?
Who?
History is written by the victors. I say, burn any evidence to the contrary and put that pixie dust up at the Smithsonian.
W... What?
Who?
Where?
Actually, I think the real reason the vikings never established any permanent settlements on the mainland was because they ran into Goldo's ancient ancestors and decided they didn't like them so they didn't hang around...
So in other words they ran into a troll (admittedly not the trolls of their own mythology but a troll none the less) and fled, eh?
History is written by the victors. I say, burn any evidence to the contrary and put that pixie dust up at the Smithsonian.
W... What?
Who?
Where?
When?
How?
Hun?
Incorrect. The expected response was "Why?"1
________
1The normal sequence is who, what, when, where, why, how. You guys did what, who, where, when, so logically the next two responses should have been how followed by why.
History is written by the victors. I say, burn any evidence to the contrary and put that pixie dust up at the Smithsonian.
W... What? Killed Colonel Mustard
Who? The butler
Where? In the library
When? Last night
How? With the letter opener
History is written by the victors. I say, burn any evidence to the contrary and put that pixie dust up at the Smithsonian.
W... What? Killed Colonel Mustard
Who? The butler
Where? In the library
When? Last night
How? With the letter opener
Priceless!
My ancient ancestors are from Normandy, France, early 18 century. Not sure the Vikings met them.
Technically that would mean there's a good chance your ancestors are vikings.
Actuallty, the way I heard it is America was discovered by people from Asia crossing the land bridge at the Bering Strait about 10,000 to 18,000 years ago, but who's counting.
Actually, America was never "discovered"... it was already there.
actually, if the first quote is true, then - according to creationism - its possible they DID discover America
Actually, America was never "discovered"... it was already there.
I do not think that word means what you think it means.
Actually, America was never "discovered"... it was already there.
I do not think that word means what you think it means.
I wiki'd it. he's partially correct:
- "Discovery is the act of detecting something new"
So, indeed, its not discovery. However, in the specific case of 'finding a country':
- Discovery can also be used to describe the first incursions of peoples from one culture into the geographical and cultural environment of others
in this case, discovery is not something new
Actuallty, the way I heard it is America was discovered by people from Asia crossing the land bridge at the Bering Strait about 10,000 to 18,000 years ago, but who's counting.
In theory those Asians would be the ancestors of the people that were labeled Skrælingar by the Norse and mistaken for "Indians" by the Spanish. However the point of this tangent is that it is currently known that the Norse were the first European culture to arrive in the Americas, not the Spanish as some may claim.
Since matter/energy can't be created or destroyed, everything is billions of years old. I don't know if you can count that as new.
Definition of DISCOVER
transitive verb
1 a : to make known or visible : expose
b archaic : display
2 a : to obtain sight or knowledge of for the first time : find
b : find out
Christopher Columbus did, in fact, discover the "new world". He just wasn't the first.
Christopher Columbus did, in fact, discover the "new world". He just wasn't the first.
When George Washington was a child, he chopped down a cherry tree. When asked about it he said, "I cannot tell a lie." This story is supposed to instill in our children the virtue of honesty.
Are we doing a disservice to our children by allowing this story to remain in our History books? (since we know the story itself is a lie).
We should probably get rid of it because George Washington chopping down a cherry tree isn't all that significant. Unless if the cherry tree then fell on a couple of British soldiers; then it's ok :D
We should probably get rid of it because George Washington chopping down a cherry tree isn't all that significant. Unless if the cherry tree then fell on a couple of British soldiers; then it's ok :D
no no no, you have to consider the ecological footprint of it all!