I definitely think Leonardo da Vinci should be included somehow. As should Karl Marx and maybe one or two greek philosophers.
The Renaissance is pretty important, so you should know roughly when and where it took place, and be able to name a few key figures.
Stoidela’s suggestions seem much too anglocentric for my taste. At least that’s my excuse for failing half of them.
Probably one should be aware of the major religions and their basic ideas. Of course, like MattK, I think that real education means real understanding; better that one should understand two religions than be able to spit out a quote about twenty. On the other hand, I understood the original post to be more about superficial identification of minimally educated people, rather that a prescription for education.
Dinsdale:
It’s not inappropriate, as such; it just illustrates the ultimate pointlessness of knowing a handful of random facts without a minimal depth of understanding of the history, science and processes surrounding those facts.
Yes, WWII has had more lasting significance, if you think about such events as the Holocaust and the invention of nuclear weapons. But WWII was also, in an easily demonstrated way, a direct consequence of WWI. Both wars were part of the tide of the 20th century, and it’s ridiculous to assume one comprehends them both just because he knows who Ferdinand and Hitler were.
Good question, and lots of interesting responses. I want to think about this for a while. But I gotta say this now - I think distinguishing between Renoir and Monet is pretty far down on the list!
One thing that leaps to mind is major muscle groups - that is, knowing more than just the word abs or delts.
Good education is surely about being able to disinguish from real evidence and opinion.
Being able to understand and use information at hand to arrive at the best fit conclusion.
Understanding that there are many solutions to a particular problem or challenge and having the imagination to try something differant.
Understanding that there is so much more to us than a mechanistic being, that we need cultural enrichment.
I guess what I had in mind was something along the lines of “100 things everyone should know something about.”
Yes, I fully agree with everyone’s observation that the recitation of isolated facts does not constitute knowledge. But I was wondering if we could boil things down to some sort of list, aware of the benefits and shortcomings of any such activity.
So it was in such an ultra-reductivist midset that I made certain comments.
Oh yeah, some knowledge of human anatomy is required. I’ll have to figure out how much I can reduce it.
Carry on.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Revtim *
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1066 is simply a key date in the Norman Conquest, which in the long run resulted in two things: Middle English and English law.
In the centuries following the Conquest, our language changed from Old English, which is extremely difficult for modern English users to follow, to Middle English, which is easily recognizable and fairly comprehensible to Modern English users. The use of Middle English for both religious and secular writing became popular (previously Latin was the norm), and within a couple of centuries of the Conquest, Middle English became the language of the state in England (previously Latin and French were the norm).
Similarly, in the centuries following the Conquest our legal system developed. Regular law courts, including travelling courts were established early on following the conquest, and although they were based on the pre-existing shire system and feudal traditions, they still helped protect people from oppessive feudal laws. This set the basis for our system of common law which most (but certainly not all) of the English speak world still uses. However, the ongoing conflict between the Crown and aristocracy eventually resulted in the Magna Carta (1215), which for the first time limited the power of the Crown by making the Crown responsible to the law. Think of it as the first bill of rights.
Obviously the changes in language and in law took hundreds of years. Why then is the date 1066 so important? The conquest provided the underlying structure for the linguistic and legal changes. It provided a French court structure to play against the pre-existing Anglo-Saxon political alliances. It provided a court language to play against the common tongue. It provided power tensions which led to our present legal system.
By analogy, look at the US in 1776. Yes, there was a revolution, but nothing much really changed in the people’s daily lives. The true significance of 1776 can only be seen at a distance, where now, a couple of hundred years later, the results are impressive. Well, the same can be said for the Conquest back in 1066. It put social, linguistic, political and legal forces into play which led to fundamental changes within a few centuries, including our language and our law.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by pepperlandgirl *
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William wasn’t the father of King Richard and King John, that was Henry II (who was married to Eleanor of Aquitaine (?sp)–a fascinating woman), however, IIRC, he was the ‘father’ of the Plantagenent (?sp) line which included Richard (LH) and John. The last of which was Richard III (who got a bad rap by history, IMHO).
Not that any of this is required knowledge, of course, I just happen to have a fondness for English History.
People should be able to[ul][]locate and name each of the seven continents[]know major world countries, their locations and possibly their capitals (e.g., locate Canada if you’re an American)[]have some familiarity with the Greek philosophers (enough to know what I mean if I refer to the Cave)[]be able to converse and write in one’s native language without more than an occasional error of oversight[]understand metric measurements[]I’ll add Dante to the list of authors who should be read[/ul]Dinsdale, if anything I think you’re being too lenient. I would expect every American to know the signficance of December 7, 1941 and June 6, 1944, as well as they do July 4, 1776. OK, maybe that’s too low a bar. 
Religion/Philosophy
At least have heard of, and know some of the basic teachings of
Christianity- Catholicism and at least three of the major Protestant demominations- Lutheran, Baptist, and the charismatic prot denom of your choice.
Islam- know that there are Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims, even if you don’t know what the difference is.
Bhuddism.
Shintoism
Confucianism
Hinduism
Zoroastrianism
note to self, do not click “post reply” until I’m finished.
You should also have heard of the following philosophers, even if you don’t know what they taught
Blaise Pascal
Freidrich Neitzche
Emmanuel Kant was a real pissant, he was very rarely stable- oops, sorry
Socrates
Plato
Aristotle
You should also know who Sigmund Freud, Erich Fromm and Carl Gustav Jung were.
Indeed. FDR.
stoid
Let’s see…c.an I name all of them since Teddy? Nope.
Well, it was off the top of my head. I would certainly put Poe and Hemingway on the list, and was thinkin’ hard on London when I had to go.
I knew I’d get some raised eyebrows at Vonnegut and Parker, but if we are including some familiarity with great authors in our “is me edookated” list, i think they rank in a larger list I have not completed. I think they are unique voices we should all have had some exposure to in order to be able to assess literature, which is my essential reasoning behind the list.
stoid
Just to be contrary, I hereby disagree with all the above points that are of the “know who” or “know when” categories.
“how” is most important, then “why”, then maybe “where”. All that’s left is to choose which subjects you think are most important. So far, Phobos’ suggestions makes the most sense to me.
Basic understanding of the scientific method and math through algebra are necessities. Knowing anything about Zoroastrianism is not.
I think the following items, not previously mentioned, should also be included:
Identify (in at least a short sentence) the following historic figures/events:
Julius Ceasar
The Crusades
The Dark Ages
The Renassance
The Spanish Inquisition (nobody expected that)
The French Revolution
Napoleon
The Industrial Revolution
Gandhi
Name at least two or three areas of the world where petroleum products are produced/extracted.
Explain the basic relationship between supply and demand.
Explain the core difference between the philosophies of capitalism and communism/socialism.
Name at least four major world currencies.
Point out on a globe the regions of the world in which the following features are located:
Panama Canal
Suez Canal
Mississipi River
Nile River
Amazon River
Ganges River
Persian Gulf
Mount Everest
Sahara Desert
Gobi Desert
Capes of Good Hope and Horn (mixup between them ok)
Name the country or city in which the following landmarks are located:
The Acropolis
The Louvre
The Colosseum
The Sphinx
The Taj Mahal
Times Square
Buckingham Palace
The White House
The Kremlin
Versailles
The Vatican
Mecca
Explain (in a sentence) the germ theory of disease and at least one way of looking at disease that preceeded it.
How 'bout:
Name 3 internal organs
Name 1 component of the nervous system
Name 1 component of the circulatory system
Name 1 exclusivly male and 1 exclusivly female reproductive part, other than the penis or vagina
What are the functions of the heart, lungs and brain?
Describe, in detail the specific function of each major gland, with special attention to the pineal.
Well, maybe not the last one. 
Fenris
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Mauvaise *
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Oh my, I feel stupid now.
At least they are in the same family line though.
wring
[q]I think they should at the very least recognize the name “Hitler”, know that Japan and Germany were on the same side, and be able to name at least two participants on the other side. [/q]
How is it that Germany and Japan were on the same side? Wouldn’t “being on the same side” indicate co-operation? Both were enemies of the U.S. but I don’t believe they were on the same side.
Note to self: learn how to make a stinkin’ QUOTE!
I’d also add a few things to the list:
A basic knowledge of Greek/Roman mythology.
Know when man landed on the moon, and who was the first man to walk on its surface.
Couldn’t hardly believe my ears when I spoke to a young woman about a month ago who honestly did not know we had ever landed on the moon. I teased her by saying, “Well, where do you think Moon Pies came from?” My joke fell flat when she said, in all seriousness, “Really?!?”
To know what the Magna Carta is.
To know that Michaelangelo painted the Cistine Chapel, and to be able to identify the most famous image of God reaching out his finger to man. (Extra points if you know where the Cistine Chapel is.)
To know who Beethoven, Bach, and Motzart were (extra points if you can hum the first few bars of Beethoven’s 9th)
To know Supreme Court Justices are (as a group), be able to name at least two of them, and give a general explanation of why they are so important.
To have basic knowledge of the structure of our government, and how bills are passed.
To know what the cases of * Brown vs. The Board of Education * and * Roe vs. Wade * were about.
To recognise the names Emmett Till, and Rosa Parks, and to understand the significance of the Woolwoorth’s lunch counter.
Be able to name at least two signers of the Declaration of Independance, and to be able to name at least two of the rights listed on the Bill of Rights.