This isn’t a boring history lesson, or an episode chock full o’ trivial things like, “Hey, did you all know the first person to kill at the Battle of Hastings — in 1066 — was a juggler?” (<—– That’s for real, right there! Don’t mess with jugglers!) This episode is about our relationships with history. What many deem to be a boring subject really isn’t when you consider how much the human mind lives in the past, whether it’s a head full of nostalgia or thinking about your place in the universe…that’s all history!
We begin the episode with a bit of personal history, discussing the first time we remember even thinking about the topic. Also, who (or what) got us interested in history? With that beginning, we move on to our favorite periods of American history and world history. Many “man on the street” interviews make it look like Americans know very little about history…we spend some time discussing if that’s true before moving on to what history even is.
History takes hold more when it’s presented as a story rather than a bunch of dates and events we must commit to memory. We talk about how this affects our perception of history, and then move on to how history is covered: is history really written by the winners, or are there places one can go to find all sides of a story? What are the best sources for understanding history — and what are the worst? Where do we go when we’re in a mood to take in some history? We close it out with the best representation of history — and the worst — we’ve seen in popular media.
If you’re a history buff, we’d love to hear your thoughts about history…and if you think history is just a boring subject, we just might change your mind…
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James Cagney didn’t say “Yeah, see?” it was Edward G. Robinson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js6mgxdFLE4
(Cagney was ‘known’ for his ‘You dirty rat’ meme even though he never actually said it)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtOMHH_v0Qg
Random thoughts as I listen:
Ah! First Knight! I HATED that film! Argh! It makes me so angry just thinking about it.
As for A Knight’s Tale, I can let it slide because I think you know going in to it they don’t expect you to really think it’s an accurate portrayal of the time.
Tora! Tora! Tora! is one of the better ‘docu-drama’ movies out there…because it’s not that entertaining. But it tried to focus more on the facts of the events and forgot to make it entertaining (Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Tora!^3) but it’s a slow pace bogged down with facts trying to give the complete story.
The ONLY History teacher in public education that ever made the subject interesting, was a History teacher at a Junior High. The difference is, he wasn’t a coach. Just a full-time History teacher. And I think THAT’S where the problem lies. Just about every History teaching position is a dual-slot position where you have to double-up as a coach as well. My niece is a science teacher with a masters but still has to coach and she HATES coaching. (Well, would rather not coach anymore and focus on her subject’s degree)
I’ve always been fascinated with WWII history. But not just the war aspect, the whole culture. The music, the clothes, the pulp that came out of the time. I love the stories from the late 30s/early 40s that don’t even have a direct influence on the war, just how society was during the time.
As for world history, I’m starting the become really interested in Mayan and Aztec culture. Going to Guatemala a few years back and visiting an excavation of a Mayan site really got me interested in just the mystery of these civilizations that just sort of vanished without any real records of what happened.
http://www.libertynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/ancient-aliens-invisible-something-meme-generator-i-m-not-saying-it-was-aliens-but-it-was-aliens-c549c7.jpg
Curtis: Thanks for the Robinson/Cagney correction. I could hear it, but it’s been a long time since watching movies with either of them.
Coaches teaching history in Texas. I should have mentioned…in high school, this is how our Civil War unit went. The head coach of our school (on the cusp of its mini Texas football dynasty before losing the reputation to another school) was rarely in class. He’d show up, say, “Read/watch this,” and go to the field house to work on football stuff. For the Civil War unit, he wasn’t even there. The quarterback came in and said, “Coach wants us to watch this.”
Gone with the Wind. That’s what we watched and were tested on: Gone with the friggin’ Wind! (Unrelated story: the brief time I played football, all my failing classes…miraculously started passing them after the coach talked to those teachers. He got mad at me for insisting I keep my failing grade in typing. I was PROUD of the 39%!)
And you’re right: all one needs to know about history is summed up in two words: “Because aliens!”
Thanks for the replies!
Curtis—
Yesssss! Let’s form an association for people who hate “First Knight!”
Note to self: Watch First Knight. No matter how bad it is, claim to like it. Find the one other person who likes it and form an association. Raid the first meeting of Curtis and Shawn’s “We Hate First Knight!” group and reclaim the kingdom!
“Find the one other person who likes it…”
That would be my wife…
Excellent, Curtis…she knows your weaknesses! That leaves Shawn and I in a battle to the end: me, armed with a Bat’leth and Shawn? A dull Garden Weasel. (Probably still wise to put your money on Shawn…)
“Jesus rode a dinosaur!” Is that really what they teach in Texas?
Nope, not that bad, but…there are a lot of creationists on the Texas panel for biology textbooks and they’re trying — again — the whole, “We’re not saying you can’t teach science in a science book…we’re just saying teach other options,” move. They made headway last year, but got knocked down, and this year it looks like they are getting run out again. Not AS many creationists on the board this year.
I think they are a case for devolution! 😉
“Are we not men? We are DEVO!”