[arista]

[The Labour leader wants to set up a trust to educate future generations about slavery and the battle to end the trade.
The Labour leader also wants schools to give their pupils an increased awareness of the role black Britons have played in the country's history.
Mr Corbyn will set out his plans for an Emancipation Educational Trust on a visit to Bristol on Thursday]


The British Empire was amazing
even controlling America

Of course in the history lesson
it should & must have ,about the Slaves
it was a Old Era.


https://news.sky.com/story/jeremy-co...mpire-11523247

[Livia]

I learned about this at school. I learned about slaves... of course I also learned about men like William Wilberforce. I learned about the damaging greed of the Empire, and also the legacies that are still used... railway, system of government etc. I also learned that the Empire for all its faults, gave birth to the Commonwealth, which is nothing but positive. So positive that countries that were never part of our Empire, chose to join it.

What I didn't learn about at school but kind of stumbled upon on my own was the German, French, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese colonies... Maybe because those countries have come to terms with their terrible past and now work in the present.

[LeatherTrumpet]

Another vote winner from the King of PR

[arista]

Originally Posted by Livia

I learned about this at school. I learned about slaves... of course I also learned about men like William Wilberforce. I learned about the damaging greed of the Empire, and also the legacies that are still used... railway, system of government etc. I also learned that the Empire for all its faults, gave birth to the Commonwealth, which is nothing but positive. So positive that countries that were never part of our Empire, chose to join it.

What I didn't learn about at school but kind of stumbled upon on my own was the German, French, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese colonies... Maybe because those countries have come to terms with their terrible past and now work in the present.

Yes they get less trouble
of course hey had African nations
and one South Africa
was a Dutch Vs GB long war.

[Oliver_W]

Nah. We don't need to teach our kids to feel guilty for our ancestors.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

Nah. We don't need to teach our kids to feel guilty for our ancestors.

Yes we all know our past

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Empire


its not hidden.

[Oliver_W]

Originally Posted by arista

Yes we all know our past

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Empire


its not hidden.

Exactly, and droning on about stuff like that isn't going to ignite a love for History. Stone Age, Vikings, Tudors, Stuarts, Civil War, World Wars. All relatively interesting with lots to talk about. No need for "wahhhh, the English were soooo meaaann!"

[Withano]

Sounds boring

[Northern Monkey]

Would rather learn about the Romans,Ancient Greeks and Egyptians.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

Would rather learn about the Romans,Ancient Greeks and Egyptians.

Yes The Romans
Built our Early Roads

[Tom4784]

I think it's important to learn and it was something I was never really taught about in school. The bits I know about the colonial history is stuff I've learned since.

Ignoring history or trying to brush the nastier parts under the carpet does little good for anyone.

[Oliver_W]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

I think it's important to learn and it was something I was never really taught about in school. The bits I know about the colonial history is stuff I've learned since.

Ignoring history or trying to brush the nastier parts under the carpet does little good for anyone.

It doesn't need to be ignored or brushed under the carpet, just not specifically whinged about in History classes. Let's just focus on the interesting bits

[Tom4784]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

It doesn't need to be ignored or brushed under the carpet, just not specifically whinged about in History classes. Let's just focus on the interesting bits

You mean let's ignore the parts that make you feel uncomfortable and focus on the fluffy bits instead.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

I think it's important to learn and it was something I was never really taught about in school. The bits I know about the colonial history is stuff I've learned since.

Ignoring history or trying to brush the nastier parts under the carpet does little good for anyone.

No School should do that

[Oliver_W]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

You mean let's ignore the parts that make you feel uncomfortable and focus on the fluffy bits instead.

Oh yeah, those fluffy Vikings; Henry VIII chopping a couple of his wives' heads off, so sweet; those World Wars are positively chirpy!

The stuff about the British Empire doesn't make me uncomfortable, I don't care. It's boring, and would kill anyone's interest in History. If that stuff is gonna be taught, lump it into to "Citizenship Studies" or "General Studies", or post-compulsory education.

[Tom4784]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

Oh yeah, those fluffy Vikings; Henry VIII chopping a couple of his wives' heads off, so sweet; those World Wars are positively chirpy!

The stuff about the British Empire doesn't make me uncomfortable, I don't care. It's boring, and would kill anyone's interest in History. If that stuff is gonna be taught, lump it into to "Citizenship Studies" or "General Studies", or post-compulsory education.

A lot of history is boring but you can't ignore it or cherry pick bits of it to teach. In all honesty, the colonial times and their effects on the world both good and bad should be prioritised as much as the world wars are especially considering that the colonial times still have a massive impact on the world today.

[Oliver_W]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

A lot of history is boring but you can't ignore it or cherry pick bits of it to teach. In all honesty, the colonial times and their effects on the world both good and bad should be prioritised as much as the world wars are especially considering that the colonial times still have a massive impact on the world today.

Like I said, most of the current History curriculum is at least somewhat interesting, unlike imperial/colonial stuff. Like I said if such things were to be part of a different subject, then fine.

[Tom4784]

History is history. Aside from the Greeks, Romans and Vikings and such, a lot of the history curriculum is British history so it's bizarre that such an important part of British history isn't covered.

Your definition of what's interesting isn't the same as everyone else's and if we taught things based on whether or not they are interesting then the current curriculum across the board would be devastated.

[Livia]

I wonder how much Spanish schools teach about the Conquistadors? They wiped out whole civilisations. Or maybe that's too far back. We only really start wringing our hands from when the British Empire began. Of course, no one (but me) ever mentions the Commonwealth, how it grew out of the Empire and what a wonderful thing it is.

[Tom4784]

It's utter foolishness to only focus on the good when history is more than just that. Making out that highlighting the full picture of the colonial period is us 'wringing our hands' is just another way to sweep unpleasant parts of our own history under the rug. It's revisionist and it's wrong.

You can''t learn from the past if you only focus on the positives and it's a very slippery slope to start going down.

[Alf]

This tiny little island ruled the World. The greatest empire the World has ever seen. Be proud, the rest of the World loves and respects us.

[susie q]

Originally Posted by Livia

I learned about this at school. I learned about slaves... of course I also learned about men like William Wilberforce. I learned about the damaging greed of the Empire, and also the legacies that are still used... railway, system of government etc. I also learned that the Empire for all its faults, gave birth to the Commonwealth, which is nothing but positive. So positive that countries that were never part of our Empire, chose to join it.

What I didn't learn about at school but kind of stumbled upon on my own was the German, French, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese colonies... Maybe because those countries have come to terms with their terrible past and now work in the present.

Sounds like my experience of learning about the empire. Few things are really Black & White, and that includes the Empire.