Comments | moderately_mad: Call for advice / tips for my son.

moderately_mad

Call for advice / tips for my son.

Oct 02, 2006 23:05

I know I have some teachers and some history buffs on my flist. Can anyone help me with a problem my son is having in his history class? He's responding very emotionally to the unit on European exploration of the new world and I'd like to give him a respite from all the horror. (I can't say that I blame him -- this is grim stuff and he's ( Read more... )

comments, prompts & germs for non-fiction, school / education, about ch--

Comments 8

zahgurim October 3 2006, 06:18:45 UTC

I've never really heard of anything "good" coming from that part of American history, unless it was European knowledge/conquering, if that could be considered "good." Yeah, it's pretty grim.

It's also unprecedented in history, since there were no other human populations that large that were not acclamated to diseases such as smallpox, chicken pox, etc., which are a consequence of animal domestication (the Native Americans didn't have domesticated animals anywhere near the scale of the Europeans, Africans, and Asians (The "Old World").

Hell, even I try to gloss over all of that stuff, because it is depressing. I mean, it's good to know the truth, but I try not to get fixated on the details.

The Mesoamerican cultures are interesting, though. The Aztec leading up to the European conquest is particularly interesting, esp. if your son is into blood and guts. ;)

moderately_mad October 3 2006, 06:46:28 UTC

Yes! He has seemed interested in the Mesoamerican cultures and I can use that. He's not really a blood-n-guts kid but he finds the oldest cultures most intriguing. It won't hurt that they weren't exactly peaceful, sweetness-and-light-type people ... maybe he will start to see that the problem is part of human nature (or societal dynamics) and not limited to the Europeans.

The domesticated animal angle is interesting. I hadn't thought of that. That's another path we can meander down a bit. It should bring a slightly more clinical perspective to the unit. 'Less cruel and deliberate slaughter and more logical consequence. I like it.

In any case, it's good to hear that you find it all depressing too -- as strange as that sounds. Thanks for responding.

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moderately_mad October 3 2006, 16:00:42 UTC

Exactly. History is always biased one way or another. This particular text is very liberal ... which is a good thing for my family ... but I'll have to continue to point out any tendency to "over-correct". So far he has the most affection for the Inuits. Compared to the other cultures he's studied they are the least war-like and violent.

eleme October 4 2006, 02:23:40 UTC

I don't have any wise words to offer you, but I like the comments you've recieved already. They've definitly offered some interesting angles and side roads for you to venture down. I'm hoping for the best for you and your boy :)

moderately_mad October 6 2006, 05:56:56 UTC

Thank you for the good wishes.

adaptor October 5 2006, 03:32:52 UTC

You could talk about the blessed (no, really) Kateri Tekakwitha. She is almost a saint (so far on her way in the process that she's included in many Saints books) and was a Native who worked all her life for the Europeans and Natives to live peacefully.

She said America should be just like the flag, the red and the white side by side to create something stronger than either could build alone.

moderately_mad October 6 2006, 05:57:55 UTC

My boy and I spent a nice half hour or so learning about Kateri. Thank you!

adaptor October 6 2006, 06:12:28 UTC

Happy to help! (She's my confirmation name! :-)