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 Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:01 pm
Just watching Red Dwarf, Seven 7, Tikka to Ride, and I have a question about how England teaches American history. I assume from the show that British people know a lot about John F Kennedy and his assassination, or it wouldn't make sense to put it in Red Dwarf. If the show was about a British politician I probably wouldn't have a clue (except for Churchill & Thatcher- they're both so cool!) Do schools in Englnd teach a lot of American history? Or is it a media thing, like doumentaries?
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Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 3:00 pm
Well, as I'm still at school here in England and have been studying history for 5 years at secondary, I'll do my best to answer your question.
Yes. Yes they do. 3nodding
I had three essays to write on America in the 1920s to 30s, we've learnt about the Roaring Twenties, the Wall Street Crash, the Depression, America's role in both World Wars, the Black Civil Rights Movement, we're taught choc-loads about Martin Luther King, we know about the American legal and government systems in detail, and other stuff.
And JFK (or Jeff K. as Lister likes to call him) is just common knowledge here. It recently got second place in a poll of the biggest events to shake the world, losing out to the September 11th Attacks.
We also learn a lot about our own British history, Nazi Germany, China, the Romans, the Egyptians, the Greeks, and Black History. 3nodding
Soooo... what's it like in America?
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Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 10:49 pm
starlit_jewel Well, as I'm still at school here in England and have been studying history for 5 years at secondary, I'll do my best to answer your question. Yes. Yes they do. 3nodding I had three essays to write on America in the 1920s to 30s, we've learnt about the Roaring Twenties, the Wall Street Crash, the Depression, America's role in both World Wars, the Black Civil Rights Movement, we're taught choc-loads about Martin Luther King, we know about the American legal and government systems in detail, and other stuff. And JFK (or Jeff K. as Lister likes to call him) is just common knowledge here. It recently got second place in a poll of the biggest events to shake the world, losing out to the September 11th Attacks. We also learn a lot about our own British history, Nazi Germany, China, the Romans, the Egyptians, the Greeks, and Black History. 3nodding Soooo... what's it like in America? It seams like we Yanks are learning just about the same thing in school now a days. xd
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Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 6:10 am
I finished my compulsory education over three years ago (I'm not old...) but we did pretty much everything jewel said 3nodding I've forgotten a lot of it though mrgreen
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Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 8:40 am
starlit_jewel Soooo... what's it like in America? Perhaps my various schools were different than most others in America, but I learned very little about England. Churchill was a subject only very lightly touched upon, and then only in the context of America's role in the World War; mostly we only learned about Britain's occupation of India. And the information on that subject matter was, frankly, pathetic. gonk In fact, I learned more about Europe from TV shows, newspapers, and books (like, yes, Harry Potter) than from school. I had a lot of American history but very little world history. Which is why I'm home-schooling (and about to go into college, I suppose), because American schools seem to like focusing on their own country but not any others.
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Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 12:43 pm
Keldan starlit_jewel Soooo... what's it like in America? Perhaps my various schools were different than most others in America, but I learned very little about England. Churchill was a subject only very lightly touched upon, and then only in the context of America's role in the World War; mostly we only learned about Britain's occupation of India. And the information on that subject matter was, frankly, pathetic. gonk In fact, I learned more about Europe from TV shows, newspapers, and books (like, yes, Harry Potter) than from school. I had a lot of American history but very little world history. Which is why I'm home-schooling (and about to go into college, I suppose), because American schools seem to like focusing on their own country but not any others. Ouch... gonk The occupation of India? But that's only a small part of this country's history... if that's all that was taught, whoever designed the American education system ought to be hung, drawn and quartered... 3nodding I know what you mean when you say that America seems to focus on itself more; we had a discussion on that in History last year and came to the conclusion that America (only in general; I'm not lumping every American in the same hold here) seems to isolate itself quite a lot. Well, if you ever want to know anything about this "green and pleasant land" just ask. I'll do my best to answer, and I'm sure the other Brits in the gild will too... 3nodding wink
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Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 12:57 pm
Most of what I know about England I had to learn on my own from reading, and of course TV. I would hate to have people judge the US by its TV, but the BBC programming makes me want to go to England! It's such a different attitude. And yes, I know most of the shows I watch are fiction- RD, Father Ted, The Kumars at 42, Fawlty Towers,... But the people I like the best here in Michigan are the people who like that sort of humor, so I have to assume that a lot of the English people are the same sort of relaxed, dry-humored people, or you wouldn't bother to make those awesome programs!
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Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 3:27 pm
The English sense of humou is so much better... Americans are more than likely to enjoy stupid gags more than anything. The American version of The Office went down the drain really quickly.
I'm sure I'd love to hear about England and all from you guys. 3nodding Although I do plan on visiting sometime. whee
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Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 3:40 pm
Yes, I must say we're pretty relaxed... and apparantly we're famous for "dry wit"... 3nodding
That said though, there are some Brit-coms which are pretty dire... Little Britain springs instantly to mind... *shudder* I do NOT recommend checking it out... unless jokes about transvestites, puking, homosexuals, disabled people and the most vomit-inducing teenage girl in the world are your cup of Earl Grey... though I have to admit it has had about 3 genuinely funny sketches in it's (so far) 4 series run... here's hoping it phases out soon! gonk
I suppose I'll be honest and say that I'm attracted to America mostly through what I've seen in films and on TV... New York is a very appealing place to me, as are LA, Florida and, seeing as I watch MASH far more than can be healthy for me (almost as much as I watch RD! eek ), I now fancy seeing Maine, California and Boston 3nodding . I hope to do a lot of travelling in a few years and visit America, stay there for a few months and whatnot... 3nodding Any recommended places?
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Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 5:43 pm
Ah. New York, New York. Where ther rats out number the people. The Smithsonian is worth while if you don't mind standing in about a line that is a mile long most times. Other then that. I think you hit about all the more intresting places. At least for me to see.
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Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 7:26 pm
I lived in Florida for about a year... it's hot, humid, and ugly. With ugly people (not necessarily physically ugly, but psychologically.)
Of course, that was northern Florida. Southern might be different, for all I know. Although it's even hotter (which the human body should NOT be able to withstand) and supposedly incredibly crowded.
So.. yeah. I certainly don't want to go back, but you may want to visit. Maybe. xd
MASH is great. whee Although after a while the Hallmark re-runs can get a bit grating...
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Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 11:51 pm
I live in Australia, and I haven't learnt anything at all about America OR England neutral
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Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 8:43 am
Magic Pie I live in Australia, and I haven't learnt anything at all about America OR England neutral Ooooh, Australia! whee I've seen it on the telly which was trying to entice people to go there and it hooked me, lol! That's another place I want to travel to, see Sydney, the Great Barrier Reef, Ayres (sp?) Rock... 4laugh Gee, compared to other countries England is pretty boring... stare sweatdrop
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Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 5:06 pm
It's easy to take the place you live for granted. I never thought Michigan was anything special, until we went to the Upper Peninsula last year. I had no idea Michigan was so beautiful.
I for one would love to go to England. The moors, Northumberland, Stonehenge,... I'd like to visit Ireland and Scotland, too. (And yes, Australia, too. I'm also a big LOST fan, which makes me want to see it even more. Do they have LOST outside the U.S.?)
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Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 5:09 pm
Magic Pie I live in Australia, and I haven't learnt anything at all about America OR England neutral Australia. There's another country we never learn much about in the U.S. A lot of people here hear Australia, and think Crocodile Dundee. And now of course they think of LOST. What TV shows are popular in Australia?
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