When you see my posts lamenting the lack of history knowledge in the United States, I need to know that you understand why.
First, some qualifications:
I have a Bachelor’s degree in History (Olivet University, 2008), a Master’s degree in History (Liberty University, 2022), have homeschooled our children from the beginning (we just finished our 9th year), and I have written and developed history curriculum for homeschoolers for years. I recently wrote and published Chronos (a history curriculum guide), have taught several history classes for homeschoolers, and will pursue a PhD when our kids are a little older.
History has been, and always will be, my passion.
That said, we have some problems we need to address, and that’s what The Homeschool Historian is all about.
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The Problems
- History education was overtaken by social scientists in the Progressive Era, and its purpose was to address the social and political concerns of the day. Social science isn’t the same as history. (More on this in this in various posts on my page.) A century later, not much has changed….in fact, the National Report Card demonstrates that American students know less and less about both history and civics every year. 😬 The most recent report is abysmal. (Look at our current political climate and consider how lack of historical and political knowledge might be a problem.)
- Because social studies teaches in units and themes, any historical content is presented without context. There is no understanding of cause and effect, how events triggered other events, how things are connected, and how they impact the world today. A student may learn about the First Thanksgiving one month and Civil Rights the next, or Ancient Greece followed by King Tut. Homeschool curriculum often follows this pattern as well. No cohesive, contextual, and–most importantly—no chronological history is the biggest problem Americans face in terms of historical illiteracy. (This has been observed for decades, and the findings are included here: https://thehomeschoolhistorian.com/howithappened)
- American individualism is a powerful force which has drawn immigrants to our shores for centuries…but it has also helped produce a culture which values self, and progress, above all. The result is a culture which doesn’t value the past for its own sake. The past is something to be left behind unless it can be weaponized. Historical quotes and references are been yanked from their proper context to push political, social, or religious agendas—-weaponizing the past rather giving it the respect to be explored, in the context of the day, for the purpose of gaining knowledge, insight, and wisdom. Politicians are some of the worst culprits but they certainly aren’t the only ones.
- Field trips to historical sites have continued to decrease over the past several decades, even though studies have shown these trips increase historical empathy (the ability to put oneself in the minds and lives of people in the past). Because people and ideas are pulled from their original context, their beliefs are misjudged, misinterpreted, and misunderstood, leading to the “canceling” of historical figures and many other issues.
- People don’t understand the difference between the past (chronology), history (the interpretation of the past), and historiography (the way in which people interpret the past and how this impacts the education system). Because of this, there are near-constant wars regarding “real history”, “true history”, being on “the right side of history”, etc. Propaganda, driven by philosophy, replaces question-led historical research: its result is subjective, poorly researched opinion masquerading as truth, and when the truth is spoken, no one knows enough to defend it.
Americans, we’re in trouble.
Fortunately, there are ways we can right the ship. Maybe not in the schools, but at least at home.
- Teach chronological history, not social studies. Themes may seem fun and short but in the long run, they don’t teach contextual history. Learn WITH your kids, since historical illiteracy is a multigenerational problem. Consider a contextual, chronological curriculum guide like Chronos:
https://thehomeschoolhistorian.com/chronos/
Having an understanding of chronology and context (from a narrative perspective) sets them up to understand deeper history later in middle school or even not until high school. - Visit historical sites, museums, and re-enactments so your child can experience and interact with the past rather than just read about it.
- Understand historiography as a parent so you can help identify biases in books, textbooks, seminars, videos, documentaries, etc. A good link for this is: https://study.com/academy/lesson/historiography-definition-importance-examples.html
- Don’t let passion about something turn into propaganda. Be fair about the past, regardless of your personal beliefs. Give other interpretations a fair shot and be respectful (but truthful) when discussing them with your kids: they will undoubtedly face very different interpretations at college or out in the world one day, so preparing them for those moments is absolutely crucial. As a special note, to my fellow Christian homeschoolers—don’t sugarcoat the truth of historical events, even if you feel like it casts ”the church” in a poor light. Keep in mind: the church as an institution and the church as a living organism are not always mutually exclusive (then and now).
Maybe this page and its ideas won’t make any major impact in the way Americans understand and interpret the past, but I won’t stop trying.
The Homeschool Historian 