Illustrates the presence of aesthetic experience in written history by comparing textbook presentations of the United States' 1812 offensive against Canada. The aesthetic dimension of human development is universal. Teachers' responsibility is to consider the aesthetic quality of school experiences they bring about and extend students' range of…

Reports that a Texas advocacy group discovered thousands of errors in U.S. history textbooks. Notes that the books underwent the review after drawing favorable reactions from Texas education officials. Identifies possible explanations for the errors and steps being taken to reduce errors in the future. (SG)

Discusses a database used by honors high school U.S. history students learning about the Spanish-American War. Reports that the students compiled the database. Includes some of the historical background of the war, questions for study, a database key, and a table showing U.S. senators' votes relating to the War. (SG)

Lists eight entries in the ERIC database that concern Christopher Columbus and the effects of his voyages on world history. Includes works on curriculum development, biological effects of the contact, and a bibliography of books for children. Explains how to find and obtain the materials. (DK)

Argues that the first step in reassessing whether the values brought to the Americas by Christopher Columbus are desirable is to examine and dispel the myths surrounding Columbus and his deeds. Includes myths involving the purpose, financing, and manning of the voyage, and Columbus's own beliefs and fate. Suggests sources for locating accurate…

Provides a three-day lesson plan for instruction about the Holocaust. Includes student handouts about the roots of antisemitism, the "Final Solution," and other topics. Examines the historical roots of anti-Jewish feeling, the rise of Germany's Nazi Party, Jewish resistance, and the ultimate liberation of Jews who survived the…

Discusses "Boston Massacre," an interactive tutorial game for learning about the Revolutionary War incident. Describes the development of the game and its academic uses. Includes instructions, a sample student response sheet, short answer and multiple choice examinations, and a listing of teacher resources. Reminds history teachers that…

Describes how the "Facing History" social studies curriculum (which moves students from literary and historical examples of genocide back to present-day experiences of intolerance and racism) is taught in an English class at South Boston High School. Describes various activities undertaken in the class related to this curriculum.…

Finds that powerlessness, social isolation, dogmatic nationalism, age, and gender significantly predict historical illiteracy (unfamiliarity with historical facts) and that a completed college history course reduced the effects of the predicting factors. (SR)

Describes the second map printed in Europe which appeared in 1475. Provides background information that teachers to help students grasp the fundamental aspects of the map. Explores the map as a whole, its details and parts, and the significance of the map for studying the world view of Europeans preceding Columbus's discoveries. (DK)

Reports on a role-playing activity concerning the U.S. Constitutional Convention. Explains how the program evolved through discussion, planning, organization, research, rehearsal, dress rehearsal, and performance. Identifies ensuring that people read and understand the Constitution's contents and origins as the major reason for the activity.…

Provides an annotated list of items from the ERIC database concerning the teaching of history. Includes documents dealing with social history, citizenship education, and the teaching of history through literature. Offers instructions for obtaining ERIC documents. (SG)

Offers a rebuttal to the cooperative-learning practices described in an earlier article in this journal which presented a Middle East history unit. Discusses students' basic lack of historical background, student expectations, the unit's organizational problems, and the way in which the students were overevaluated. Presents a rebuttal by the…

Describes how elementary students can use computers to create newspapers from another time period, sparking their interest in history and motivating them to do a little research. (SM)

Discusses recent changes in history and geography instruction in the French lycees. Explains that France's National Ministry of Education plans to move teaching about World War II to an earlier year and apply a geopolitical approach to instruction in general. Notes that the Association of Teachers of History and Geography opposes the changes. (SG)