--- title: The US History Curriculum and What Kids Really Need to Know description: Why asking what should be taught in history class is asking the wrong question canonical: https://time.com/4037579/history-education/ author: Jason Steinhauer article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-09-18T16:00:39.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:57:47.579Z article:section: History og:title: The US History Curriculum and What Kids Really Need to Know og:description: Why asking what should be taught in history class is asking the wrong question og:url: https://time.com/4037579/history-education/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5152c0859662c682/698864105f570f195fb1d683/history.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Students protest proposed AP History changes og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The US History Curriculum and What Kids Really Need to Know twitter:description: Why asking what should be taught in history class is asking the wrong question twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5152c0859662c682/698864105f570f195fb1d683/history.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # America’s Students Need History—But Not for the Reasons You’re Hearing > Sponsored content. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-sub-2026q3/newsletters?i=7132a04f-5973-460e-b567-c707459b04fd&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) * TIME Subscriptions: [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-sub-2026q3/subscribe?i=7132a04f-5973-460e-b567-c707459b04fd&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) ## Video: 50 Years Of The State Of The Union In 5 Minutes [Watch (HLS stream): 50 Years Of The State Of The Union In 5 Minutes](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/cVt1XJAO.m3u8) (5:18)  _Published 2014-01-28. The best of the State Of The Union speeches from FDR to Barack Obama._ by [Jason Steinhauer](https://time.com/author/jason-steinhauer/) ## Jason Steinhauer Sep 18, 2015 4:00 PM UTC  Dakota Ridge High students hold up a sign in Littleton, Co., during a Sept. 25, 2014, protest over proposed AP History changes. Dakota Ridge High students hold up a sign in Littleton, Co., during a Sept. 25, 2014, protest over proposed AP History changes. John Leyba—DP/Getty Images by [Jason Steinhauer](https://time.com/author/jason-steinhauer/) ## Jason Steinhauer Sep 18, 2015 4:00 PM UTC Back-to-school season is here, and with it all the familiar trappings—save one. Whereas in recent years [national discussion](http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2012/06/15/stem-education-is-the-key-to-the-uss-economic-future) has seemingly centered on America’s deficits in math and science, this year deficits in U.S. history are sharing the spotlight. At the close of this past school year, an [alarm](http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/05/04/fail-only-18-percent-of-8th-graders-proficient-in-us-history/) was [sounded](http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/04/more-proof-that-americas-students-know-little-about-their-country/391823/) after the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) [showed](http://www.nationsreportcard.gov/hgc%5F2014/#history) that a mere 18% of eighth graders were proficient in U.S. History. Weeks later, dozens of scholars [signed a letter](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/06/11/historians-blast-advanced-placement-u-s-history-framework/) to the College Board condemning the redesigned AP course in history. Oklahoma legislatures had earlier [voted to ban](http://thinkprogress.org/education/2015/02/17/3623683/oklahoma-lawmakers-vote-overwhleming-ban-advanced-placement-history-class/) the course; similar bans were proposed in [Georgia](http://atlantaprogressivenews.com/2015/03/14/state-senate-votes-to-ban-ap-u-s-history-claims-the-courses-are-biased/) and [North Carolina](http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article10148549.html). The course has since been revised. History seems to be making news—though not in the manner we historians might prefer. Debates over history-class outcomes surface periodically in the U.S. Such controversies are usually about a prescribed set of historical facts, subjects and themes about America that students ought to know, be it [American Exceptionalism](http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/421952/sorry-still-no-american-exceptionalism-apush-stanley-kurtz) or [the civil rights movement](https://www.splcenter.org/news/2011/09/28/splc-study-finds-more-half-states-fail-teaching-civil-rights-movement). Indeed, the letter to the College Board lamented a perceived downplaying of worthy subjects such as the Constitution and a lack of attention to “exemplary people and events.” Similarly, the NAEP results were framed in terms of facts students did not remember that they should have: the Louisiana Purchase, the judicial precedent set by _Marbury v. Madison_, reasons why Loyalists opposed independence, and so on. Facts, subjects and themes are important. But ask me whether our students must have a particular historical fact set about our country—or others, for that matter—and my answer will be that we are asking the wrong question. To frame the efficacy of history in terms of facts remembered and test scores achieved misses what is valuable about historical study. The value of history is as much in its process as it is in its outcomes. The process of historical inquiry—and what it teaches students along the way—is history’s greatest reward. Studying history teaches that society is not stagnant. Studying history teaches us to question how and why things change, who drives those changes, whose interests are served by them and who gets left out of the equation. History teaches that human actions have consequences. Analysis of past events teaches students to ask probing questions, challenge preconceived assumptions and to recognize that humans have the capacity to be both very, very good and very, very cruel. Analyzing historic documents teaches us to be careful readers. To be skeptical of one side of the story. To be aware of our own biases. Most critically, history teaches us who we are. I am a Jew, a New Yorker, a citizen of the United States, a grandchild of Holocaust survivors. These identities mean nothing without a historical backdrop to set them against. “We swim in the past as fish do in water,” wrote historian Eric Hobsbawm. “We cannot escape from it.” Our students may not go on to all be historians, or even remember the hundreds of facts they learn in a given year. But through history they can become more disciplined and rigorous thinkers. They can be challenged to be more independent-minded analysts, and, I would argue, more compassionate human beings—skills that historical study inculcates and that lead directly to [life and career success](http://www.humanitiesindicators.org/content/indicatorDoc.aspx?i=10). The best reason to study history is not to memorize facts, but rather to experience the historical process and learn to interpret facts in a thoughtful, independent and meaningful manner. If we are to continue to foster national greatness and prepare students to independently assess an increasingly complex world, we should continue to promote such thinking. The debates and headlines too often miss these nuances—which is why I’ve suggested that history take a cue from STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and invest in what I’ve termed “[History Communicators.](http://publichistorycommons.org/introducing-history-communicators/)” For years, the science community has invested in [training “Science Communicators](http://www.centerforcommunicatingscience.org/)” to more effectively convey the value of science to the public. On the surface, history may seem less in need of such help than, say, physics. But we should not assume that history needs no help communicating itself. I am currently working with scholars, journalists, documentary filmmakers and public historians—historians who work in museums, archives, national parks and government—to convene a series of workshops and develop teaching plans to train a generation of “History Communicators” and create new ways to communicate history and historical concepts to non-experts. I am also helping to initiate a nationwide [History Relevance Campaign](http://www.historyrelevance.com/), to reaffirm history’s value to our communities. Through these and similar efforts we historians have an opportunity to better espouse history’s value and ensure we don’t fall behind in producing outstanding, independent thinkers who have the confidence to draw their own conclusions. The current concerns over history curricula may be opportunities to voice that message more clearly. The historian and philosopher Leszek Kolakowski once said that “history, more often than not, is an infinite display of human stupidity and cruelty.” Kolakowski had witnessed World War II, the Holocaust and Communist dictatorship. He had seen the worst that humans could do to one another and believed that we must not be afraid to separate history from myth, fact from fantasy. Perhaps the best reason to study history is to understand what humans are capable of doing to one another—and how we have the capacity to correct such injustices. That is a valuable lesson for any student, this back-to-school season and beyond. _Jason Steinhauer is a Public Historian at The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress. On Twitter: @JasonSteinhauer. The views in this column are his own._ ## Transcript >> Mr. Speaker. >> The President of the United States. -[ unk ] >> The Congress always extends a very warm welcome to the President as he comes in. >> I'm not at all sure what speech is in the teleprompter tonight, but I hope we can talk about the state of the Union. >> I've got bad news, and I don't expect much, if any, applause. >> The state of our Union is sound. >> Is strong. >> Is strong. >> Has never been stronger. >> Let's be frank. Let me level with you. >> The state of the Union is not good. >> America, what went wrong? >> The last decade has seen a series of recessions. >> Recessions. >> Recession. >> Recession. >> Recession. >> Recession. >> The impact of this recession is real and it is everywhere. >> I've painted a pretty grim picture, but I think I've painted it accurately. >> If ever there were a time to know the pride and the excitement and the hope of being an American-- it is this time. >> Our country is a special place. >> This land that is ours together, is a great and a good land. >> I am proud of America and I'm proud to be an American. >> We are a confident nation. >> We are first. We are the best. >> We are Americans. >> USA, USA, USA. >> As your President, I have had one overriding aim. >> I propose two major initiatives. >> Three keys to reducing deficits. >> Four essential human freedoms. >> Five steps. >> Six great goals. >> Seven standards. >> 300 private talks. >> 465 pages of law, 1400 pages of regulations. >> More than 70 million television sets. >> One year of Watergate is enough. >> I have to say that that's very welcome applause. >> This administration today, here and now, declares unconditional war on poverty. >> All- out war on big- time organized crime. >> The war on misery, the war on disease, the war on hunger. >> The war against drugs. >> War on gangs. >> War on terror. >> We meet at a time when we face great problems at home and abroad that will test the strength of our fiber as a nation. >> This is an age when unforeseen attack could come with unprecedented speed. >> And access of evil. >> The Japanese and the Fascists and the Nazis. -[ unk ] annihilation. >> The high rise of communism. >> External communist conquest. >> Communist imperialist. >> Organized crime, pornography, street crime. >> Terrorism, the spread of weapons of mass destruction, organized crime, drug trafficking, ethnic and religious hatred, aggression by rogue states. >> Communist terrorists. >> Electric shock, burning with hot irons, dripping acid on the skin, mutilation with electric drills, cutting out tongues, and rape. >> Let us create new opportunities for our children. >> And their children. >> And their children's children. >> Our grandchildren's grandchildren. >> And their grandchildren. >> We need a tax cut now to keep this country moving. >> We can afford additional tax cuts. >> Freezing taxes won't balance the budget. >> We can cut taxes in a more comprehensive way. >> Make the tax cuts permanent. >> We cut taxes for 8 million Americans paying for college. >> A part of the sacrifice means the payment of more money in taxes. >> To the folks watching at home, those were the groans of pain in the audience. >> Let's face it. Most Americans today are simply fed up with government at all levels. >> Complete government control. >> Government cannot solve our problems. >> Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. Do not overdo it. >> Government at all levels is not doing their job well. >> Give them a government that's more confident. >> The era of big government is over. >> We seek freedom. >> Expand freedom. >> Open the door to freedom. >> Freedom works. >> Our problems are too complex for simple slogans or for quick solutions. >> Let's try common sense. >> The age of the 500- dollar hammer and the ashtray you can break on David Letterman is gone. >> If you've got a hammer, find the nail. >> Where we're going, we don't need roads. >> As the Bible says. >> We thank to Almighty God. >> And the faith above. >> Well, God is willing. >> With the help of God. >> Asking God's blessing. >> Placing your confidence in the loving God. >> One nation under God. >> In God, we trust. >> God bless you. >> God bless these United States of America. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4037579/history-education/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4037579/history-education/"},"headline":"America’s Students Need History—But Not for the Reasons You’re Hearing","datePublished":"2015-09-18T16:00:39.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:57:47.579Z","description":"Why asking what should be taught in history class is asking the wrong question","url":"https://time.com/4037579/history-education/","keywords":["Education","Opinion topic"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5152c0859662c682/698864105f570f195fb1d683/history.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jason Steinhauer","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/jason-steinhauer/"}],"articleSection":"History","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5152c0859662c682/698864105f570f195fb1d683/history.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Students protest proposed AP History changes","caption":"Students protest proposed AP History changes","creditText":"John Leyba—DP/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/history/","name":"History"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4037579/history-education/","name":"America’s Students Need History—But Not for the Reasons You’re Hearing"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"50 Years Of The State Of The Union In 5 Minutes","description":"The best of the State Of The Union speeches from FDR to Barack Obama.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/cVt1XJAO/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2014-01-28T15:47:05.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/cVt1XJAO.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4037579/history-education/","duration":"PT5M18S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4037579/history-education/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```