Lies My Teacher Told Me Essay Questions

What is the thesis of this book?

The author seeks to expose the inaccuracies that abound in high school US history and to explain why they persist. The explanations he gives include a desire to offend as few people as possible, make the most money as possible, and have the largest audience possible. All of this serves to sweep the details, controversy, and reality of American history under the rug and puts such sensitive issues like racism far from the mind of the American teenager, despite being integral to their country's makeup.

What is the true story of Helen Keller?

Though many history books like to focus on the triumph of Keller over her physical disabilities (namely that she was blind and deaf), there is more to the story. Helen Keller was an outspoken activist who advocated for women's suffrage and marched alongside like-minded individuals. She was also a radical socialist who praised Russia, believing that the lower classes were unfairly treated in the U.S. and Western Europe. She noted the greater tendency of the lower class to be blind due to their occupation, living conditions, or inadequate treatment of an illness.

Who discovered the New World?

Native Americans had been living in the Americas for at least 30,000 years. The leading theory is that their ancestors crossed over from Asia on an ice bridge and spread throughout the New World. There is evidence to support the presence of Phoenicians, Africans, and Vikings in the Americas well before the arrival of Columbus in 1492.

How do textbooks teach the Civil War?

Some textbooks seek to avoid the slavery question altogether when discussing the Civil War, even referring to it as the War Between the States or the War of Southern Rebellion. This allows them to paint the war as an issue of independence, rather than an issue of slavery, and whether or not it should be legal. The textbooks try not to offend anyone; but they end up informing no one.

How do textbooks skirt the issue of Woodrow Wilson's repeated invasions of Latin America?

The books simply do not directly address it. They allude to it by commenting on actions of Latin American countries that affected the U.S., but they do not explain what the countries themselves were reacting to. This helps preserve the image of the U.S. as a moral authority, doing good all over the world without ever making mistakes. Of course, this is incorrect, as Wilson's own invasions were faulty and poorly thought-out.