# How is the American Revolution taught in British schools? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 11, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047 "2009-05-11T16:28:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/41 "2009-05-12T12:19:17Z")
Backing up what others have said the answer is “most kids will know very little about it”. Long time since I was at school but neither of my children - who did history until age 16 - did anything significant about it. Lots of children will have given up history at 14 and know even less. Most of their time was on 20th century history, e.g. the two world wars and the Cold War with very little narrative glue to put thewm in context. This is not a slight on the importance of the United States - it’s a reflection of how narrow history teaching in English schools has become. Never mind not knowing the 13 colonies were part of the British Empire, if it was left to school history kids would not know India was part of the Empire! In fact they may not even hear that Britain had an Empire… ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/42 "2009-05-12T15:21:23Z")
I never took history at GCSE, having dropped it in Year 9, but from what I remember, America was only mentioned in reference to our studies on WW1 (and even then, more or less in a throw away “America were our allies” manner, as the focus was on the causes of the war, specifically the naval rivalry between the UK and Germany, extensive alliances, Franz Ferdinand’s assassination etc.) We studied: Roman Britain, The Wars of the Roses, Late Anglo-Saxon rule and the Norman conquest, Enclosyu the Tudors, the Luddites, and the start of the Industrial Revolution, some WW1 history. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/43 "2009-05-12T15:35:25Z")
If the Tudors were so damned important to British students, perhaps I should attempt to learn a little about that era myself. For the sake of knowledge and all that. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/44 "2009-05-12T15:54:48Z")
I was taught more about colonialism in East Africa than in America… The USA only got mentioned when we covered WW1. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/45 "2009-05-12T16:43:26Z")
I was taught it as part of the seemingly neverending (and more important) war with the French. The American colonies weren’t missed much, to the extent that trade continued, and in the skirmishes with the French, I seem to remember Britain taking much of the Carribean. Swapping the American colonies for sugar producing islands (mmmm rum) was seen as a pretty good deal by some. I do remember something about there being political backlash over the loss of the colonies, but all in all, it wasn’t a major threat to the British Empire. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/46 "2009-05-12T16:52:10Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > If the Tudors were so damned important to British students, perhaps I should attempt to learn a little about that era myself. For the sake of knowledge and all that. As I recall, it was by far the most boring period of English history. But knock yourself out, if you must. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/47 "2009-05-12T16:54:53Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > As I recall, it was by far the most boring period of English history. But knock yourself out, if you must. There’s always the Showtime series - nudity galore ;). ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/48 "2009-05-12T17:43:49Z")
> [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](#): > > Would any British reader with a copy to hand care to tell us what [1066 and All That](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1066_and_All_That) has to say about the matter? From _1066 and All That_: > [@](#): > > Chapter XLIV > The Boston Tea-Party > > One day when George III was insane he heard that the Americans never had afternoon tea. This made him very obstinate and he invited them all to a compulsory tea-party at Boston; the Americans, however, started by pouring the tea into Boston Harbour and went on pouring things into Boston Harbour until they were quite Independent, thus causing the United States. These were also partly caused by Dick Washington who defeated the English at Bunker’s Hill (“with his little mashie,” as he told his father afterwards). > > The War with the Americans was memorable as being the only in which the English were ever defeated, and it was unfair because the Americans had \*the Allies \*on their side. In some ways the war was really a draw, since England remained top nation and had the Allies afterwards, while the Americans, in memory of George III’s madness refused to drink tea and go on pouring anything the English send them to drink into Boston Harbour. > > After this the Americans made Wittington President and gave up speaking English and became U. S. A. and Columbia and 100% etc. This was a Good Thing in the end, as it was the cause of the British Empire and it prevented America from having any more history. I should add that the next chapter starts “Soon after America had ceased to be memorable…” The sad thing about \*1066 and All That \*is that, to work, it assumes the reader knows what the real history was. Probably not true for most kids these days! ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/49 "2009-05-12T18:26:05Z")
I will add that on the American side, the quality of education varies greatly by school, so whether you understand anything or not will vary considerably from school to school, or at least state to state. Middle-america states probably are better on the balance, because urban-core schools in American tend to be rather poor, although suburbs around big-city schools are often high-quality. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/50 "2009-05-12T18:28:57Z")
In case anyone is wondering, a mashie is an ancient golf club, roughly equivalent to a modern fairway iron. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/51 "2009-05-12T19:03:01Z")
> [@Jodi](#): > > I can tell you that American kids are taught next to nothing about English history. That was certainly not true in my experience. The “World History” I learned was overwhelming slanted towards Greek, Roman, and English history. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/52 "2009-05-12T20:23:03Z")
> [@MarcusF](#): > > The sad thing about \*1066 and All That \*is that, to work, it assumes the reader knows what the real history was. Probably not true for most kids these days! Has it ever been true? (Answer: No.) ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/53 "2009-05-12T20:41:37Z")
[Here](http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b197/Paintergeist/?action=view¤t=Dcp_0824.jpg&newest=1) is what is posted in the Guards Museum in London. It’s focussed on just the Guards troops, but still gives some idea of the British take on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/54 "2009-05-12T21:26:47Z")
> [@chowder](#): > > Well these miserable ungrateful motley bunch of ne’er do When I took American history, I decided it was a bunch of wealthy guys who didn’t want to pay their taxes who talked the little guys into dying for the idea, while they stayed home and counted their money. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/55 "2009-05-12T21:47:56Z")
In state school I wasn’t tought about the British Empire full stop, and I’d wager I was taught more history than most; look it up to GCSE and A-Level. The usual topics of history covered in the UK in my experience are; The Egyptians, Greeks, **Romans.** Massive gap, then **1066**. Massive gap, then the Rennaisance. Then the **Tudors.** Occaisional the gap is somewhat filled by the Wars of the Roses. Then the English Civil War. I vaguely remember being taught about the Battle of Culloden, which was the sum total of knowledge imparted about the 18th century. Then the **Victorians.** Then **WWII.** Occaisionally WWI. At GCSE and A-level you study a wider variety of stuff, I did the Russian Revolution, Vietnam and U.S. Civil Rights movement of the top of my head. The big ones are in bold. Edit; the statutary teaching requirements for Key Stage 1 & 2 (Grade School) and Key Stage 3 (early high school) are below - no mention whatsoever about the American Revolution; [http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/key-stages-1-and-2/subjects/history/keystage1/index.aspx?return=/key-stages-1-and-2/subjects/index.aspx](http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/key-stages-1-and-2/subjects/history/keystage1/index.aspx?return=/key-stages-1-and-2/subjects/index.aspx) [http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/key-stages-3-and-4/subjects/history/index.aspx](http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/key-stages-3-and-4/subjects/history/index.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/56 "2009-05-12T22:38:33Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > That was certainly not true in my experience. The “World History” I learned was overwhelming slanted towards Greek, Roman, and English history. If you got World History before the college level (university level, my British friends), then you went to a remarkable school. I was AP all the way, baby, and we never got beyond American History and American Government (two different classes). World history was of the “in 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue” variety, which really was more American history than otherwise anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/57 "2009-05-12T23:15:13Z")
> [@MarcinCiez](#): > > America? War? What?? > > I So I don’t see why a such a small battle such as the American Revolution (small compared to WW2) would be important to any country except for the US. > > Anyway - point is, each counry will focus on their OWN grlory rather than another country’s glory. I would think that, matters of patriotism aside, the circumstances of the birth of the world’s most powerful nation - and holder of that distinction for the last 60 years at the very least - would be an intrinsically worthwhile topic. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/58 "2009-05-12T23:27:12Z")
> [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](#): > > I would think that, matters of patriotism aside, the circumstances of the birth of the world’s most powerful nation - and holder of that distinction for the last 60 years at the very least - would be an intrinsically worthwhile topic. Powerful, for all of 60 years? We’re supposed to be impressed? Victoria reigned for longer than that 😉 (Liz ain’t far off it, either…) Edit: maybe I’m being too flippant… …understanding why countries become powerful is very different from placing a particular emphasis on the current holder of the greatest power just because it holds that status, prioritising the status quo and implicitly suggesting that the present will also be the future. Understanding why great powers emerged in the past, and also why they declined, is educational. Being told that America is powerful isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/59 "2009-05-12T23:53:13Z")
> [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](#): > > I would think that, matters of patriotism aside, the circumstances of the birth of the world’s most powerful nation - and holder of that distinction for the last 60 years at the very least - would be an intrinsically worthwhile topic. It is a worthwhile topic, but perhaps only as an option in higher level history classes. The United States is different to earlier superpowers in that it is largely benign, what with it being a modern democracy and all. On the whole, it leaves other countries alone, certainly compared to the great imperial powers of old. And that kind of civilised behaviour just doesn’t fill the pages of history books quite like Napoleon and the Romans do :). ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047/60 "2009-05-13T00:00:10Z")
> [@MarcusF](#): > > From _1066 and All That_: > I should add that the next chapter starts “Soon after America had ceased to be memorable…” > > The sad thing about \*1066 and All That \*is that, to work, it assumes the reader knows what the real history was. Probably not true for most kids these days! Cheers Marcus, this pretty much covers the old school approach to American history then. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-american-revolution-taught-in-british-schools/496047.md?page=4)