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American history textbooks exclude all of the negative things that the founding fathers did/supported, though the negative is equally as important as the positive. When you read a typical history textbook in the U.S. you find yourself reading stories of pride, success, and leadership. All of the people that helped found our country are overlooked as triumphant heroes, recognized for only the wonderful things they did. Because even history books who claim to portray history accurately are wrong, the people of our Country are blind to the negative things the founding fathers did.
It is important to recognize the negative things that the founding fathers did because it changes the views that they are heroes into views that they are human.
We should question history more so that we are able to catch negative things happening in our government/country, rather than just accept them. Humans make mistakes and bad choices sometimes, and though the things they did may be bad, it is important not to overlook them when forming an opinion on the founding fathers.
The reason why it is important to note the negative things/failures of leaders around us is because people tend to believe anything that authorities and leaders say. If people don’t ask questions about laws being passed and things that leaders in our communities (or in our government) are doing, they won’t catch mistakes. When people ask questions not only do they learn more, but they can make modifications or at least fight for options that are better for everyone. An example of when this has happened is during past elections such as George Bush vs. Al Gore, because the election was said to be rigged but because people accepted it as true, it was never looked into enough to truly know.
Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States achieved many things during his presidency, but what people don’t tend to recognize him for are the negative things he did. Thomas Jefferson had an affair with his slave Sally Hemings, as well as six children. Though he denied this throughout his presidency, DNA tests have shown that Sally Hemings did in fact carry the Jefferson Y Chromosome. Though Jefferson was against slavery and he fought to abolish it, he still had slaves at his home in Monticello. He was a hypocrite, and aside from all of the good things he did, there was a fair share of bad. Along with being a slave owner who didn’t free slaves, Jefferson was in debt for the majority of his life, and most of his life was spent on his personal pursuits instead of trying to help lead the country.
Though not necessarily “bad” there are many things about our “heroic” founding fathers that are left out of the textbooks. George Washington, the first president of the United States did in fact own slaves, although he did set them free. There are myths that he had wooden teeth, but he actually purchased some of his slaves teeth. Something else most people don’t know about him is that he was a high school drop out, something that is largely frowned upon in the U.S. and something that tends to be excluded from the textbooks.
It is important to recognize the failures of our founding fathers because trial and error is how people learn. People not knowing the faults of the founding fathers cannot see them as humans, only as heroes. It’s important to recognize that in order to persevere ourselves as great Americans. It is possible to become an incredible American even if you’ve had past failures, or there are things you wish to keep in the shadows. John Adams is an example of this, because most people know that he worked at his parents brewery, but what they don’t tend to know is that he basically ran his parents beer brewery to the ground. Regardless of this, he was still an exceptional man and an exceptional American.
People need to be taught a full version of what has happened in their country in order for them to formulate opinions on what they agree or disagree with, and to decide if they think the founding fathers were good or bad. Though the founding fathers did many positive things for our country, it is essential to remember that they did things that weren’t quite positive too. These things that we rarely hear about are important to recognize because our founding fathers were human, not heroes.
American history textbooks exclude all of the negative things that the founding fathers did/supported, though the negative is equally as important as the positive. When you read a typical history textbook in the U.S. you find yourself reading stories of pride, success, and leadership. All of the people that helped found our country are overlooked as triumphant heroes, recognized for only the wonderful things they did. Because even history books who claim to portray history accurately are wrong, the people of our Country are blind to the negative things the founding fathers did.
It is important to recognize the negative things that the founding fathers did because it changes the views that they are heroes into views that they are human.
We should question history more so that we are able to catch negative things happening in our government/country, rather than just accept them. Humans make mistakes and bad choices sometimes, and though the things they did may be bad, it is important not to overlook them when forming an opinion on the founding fathers.
The reason why it is important to note the negative things/failures of leaders around us is because people tend to believe anything that authorities and leaders say. If people don’t ask questions about laws being passed and things that leaders in our communities (or in our government) are doing, they won’t catch mistakes. When people ask questions not only do they learn more, but they can make modifications or at least fight for options that are better for everyone. An example of when this has happened is during past elections such as George Bush vs. Al Gore, because the election was said to be rigged but because people accepted it as true, it was never looked into enough to truly know.
Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States achieved many things during his presidency, but what people don’t tend to recognize him for are the negative things he did. Thomas Jefferson had an affair with his slave Sally Hemings, as well as six children. Though he denied this throughout his presidency, DNA tests have shown that Sally Hemings did in fact carry the Jefferson Y Chromosome. Though Jefferson was against slavery and he fought to abolish it, he still had slaves at his home in Monticello. He was a hypocrite, and aside from all of the good things he did, there was a fair share of bad. Along with being a slave owner who didn’t free slaves, Jefferson was in debt for the majority of his life, and most of his life was spent on his personal pursuits instead of trying to help lead the country.
Though not necessarily “bad” there are many things about our “heroic” founding fathers that are left out of the textbooks. George Washington, the first president of the United States did in fact own slaves, although he did set them free. There are myths that he had wooden teeth, but he actually purchased some of his slaves teeth. Something else most people don’t know about him is that he was a high school drop out, something that is largely frowned upon in the U.S. and something that tends to be excluded from the textbooks.
It is important to recognize the failures of our founding fathers because trial and error is how people learn. People not knowing the faults of the founding fathers cannot see them as humans, only as heroes. It’s important to recognize that in order to persevere ourselves as great Americans. It is possible to become an incredible American even if you’ve had past failures, or there are things you wish to keep in the shadows. John Adams is an example of this, because most people know that he worked at his parents brewery, but what they don’t tend to know is that he basically ran his parents beer brewery to the ground. Regardless of this, he was still an exceptional man and an exceptional American.
People need to be taught a full version of what has happened in their country in order for them to formulate opinions on what they agree or disagree with, and to decide if they think the founding fathers were good or bad. Though the founding fathers did many positive things for our country, it is essential to remember that they did things that weren’t quite positive too. These things that we rarely hear about are important to recognize because our founding fathers were human, not heroes.
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