The Changing Portrayal of War in U.S. American History Textbooks, World War II to 2010

• In Event: The Curriculum as Contested Space

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to better understand how US American History textbooks teach about war and how those ways of teaching have changed since World War II. A sample of textbooks is identified with two of the most commonly used textbooks for each decade, beginning with the 1940s to the present. The Mexican-American War, the Spanish-American War, and U.S. interventions in the Caribbean are examined. Textbooks are reviewed for pedagogy; narrative structure; references to cause, agency, and culpability; empathy; and content in relation to eight U.S. wars and military actions. In addition, exercises are examined for the kind of historiography suggested for students to engage in during their studies.

Author

• James H. Williams, The George Washington University