What is the UK teaching perspective on the American Revolutionary War?

Question

What is the UK teaching perspective on the American Revolutionary War?

Answer 1

Its not taught.

The general understanding is, good riddance

Only Kidding ; )

Answer 2

Factual.

An odd concept, unheard of in Hollywood, but which still has a fading presence in British academia.

Answer 3

hehehe...

Answer 4

When I went to school in the 50/60`s the majority of history taught concerned our own British Isles.  The formation, evolution and dissolution of the British Empire was also covered, this included the Revolutionary War, and also the US Civil War, but not in any great depth, I would suppose due to the enormous amount of information that it would have taken to cover all aspects.  I suppose much could be said of English history being taught in US schools.

I see Ray has stuck his uneducated nose in again, that`s uneducated as in dumb!  So, taking you a stage further in your education, Waterloo - you say two other countries were also involved and not just the British, wrong (again!).  Napoleons army consisted of 69,000 men, Wellington had 67,000 men under his command, these were made up of 24,000 British, 6,000 Kings German Legion, 17,000 from the Netherlands, 11,000 from Hanover, 6,000 from Brunswick and 3,000 from Nassau.  Even you Ray, should be able to count that this is more than two!  As to your post about the British saving the American Indians, you`ve been posting this for the last month or so without any references except the BBC - obviously you can`t/won`t post anything to substantiate your rant.  Get a grip peon!

Answer 5

Well, for a start, they don't call it the Revolutionary War.  More of a colonial rebellion.

Answer 6

Have you looked at European History? US history is but a footnote to the UK perspective.

Answer 7

I've finished compusary education and I've never learnt about it.

Josh B: Just remember what language you speak, yeah...

Answer 8

I'm not answering your question because I'm not from the UK, rather I'm from the USA, but it's an interesting read.  Interesting because American text books are written the same way.  Writing only the good stuff and lightly skimming over what we did wrong/lost.  IE The suffering of the Native Americans.

I remember back when my high school made me take British history/literature (taught side-by-side of course) and nowhere was there any mention of the Revolutionary War or colonial rebellion as they call it, but like others have said before... there's quite a lot of history and the war was really only a blip in the overall picture.  

Answer 9

I was never taught a thing about it at school. Far too much other British history to get through! And blimey that's a lot of history.

Answer 10

They only like to talk of things that make them look good i e The Americans use our language It is ours by right of conquest Just as we let them come on vacation to visit what was once theirs

Their BBC does talk of the help of the French but well talk of their lone defeat of Napoleon [there were two other countries at Waterloo Just heard this on their BBC ''the english military was needed to keep the yanks from killing American indians'']

Answer 11

It may have changed by now, but when I went to school in Britain (60s, 70s, 80s), we did not actually study or even acknowledge any of the wars we lost!

Answer 12

that AMERICA OWNED THEM

Answer 13

Its not taught lol  

Answer 14

At 'school' level (up to 16 / 17 years old) it's not considered as all that important.From a British (and I use the word advisedly { the 'UK' didn't exist at the time }) perspective there were more important things going on in the world during the reign of George III. How to cope with a mad, divinely appointed King being not the least.

Ireland was more of a concern. Before I get abuse, I'm just stating the facts of the time, not agreeing with some naive opinions on them.

Answer 15

There isnt one, its not on the cirriculum. Because we lost probably.

Answer 16

I can safely say it aint on the curriculum in Scotland either. We struggle to teach kids our own history rather than Europe's let alone have time for a war that the children wouldn't be able to relate to.

Answer 17

It's not taught other than in bits and pieces. Something about Tea in Boston (Boston in America, not Boston Lincolnshire). Other than that nothing.