Is History Important?

[mushroom25]

history should be compulsory at GCSE, says Antony Beevor

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11116561/Antony-Beevor-history-should-be-compulsory-at-GCSE.html

is it relevant to today's students?

(btw how many of you didn't get 100% in the quiz?)

[jno]

you done good for a youngster, Talbot. Were the answers things you learnt at school or later?

[Zacs-Master]

Whoever wrote the quiz was a bit of a numptie. The US was involved in WWII before Pearl Harbour:
http://militaryhistorynow.com/2013/01/09/the-war-before-the-war-americas-pre-pearl-harbor-involvement-in-ww2/

[-Talbot-]

Later, jno.
British Agricultural Revolution for me :0(


Daughter 20 just scored 7.

[stuey]

Zacs, I was just about to comment on that question until I saw yours. Pearl Harbor led to the US's formal declaration of war; however, the Americans had been involved in it for a long time prior to that incident.

[-Talbot-]

The hadn't declared war though Zacs.

[jno]

oh yes, I remember the agrarian revolution, Jethro Tull and all that.

Did your daughter study history? Was WW2 on the syllabus?

Thinking about it, I'm not sure she'll actually be condemned to a lifetime of ignorance for not knowing whether Italy changed sides (an issue that, as aog points out, is open to doubt). Darned if I can remember who was on what side in the Thirty Years' War, but I don't think it really matters to anyone but historians.

[stuey]

It's just the wording I suppose, Talbot. The question uses the phrase "took America into the Second World War".

[Old_Geezer]

Indeed. Exam papers need to be written with no ambiguity and students need to read & understand the question :-)

[Zacs-Master]

Which is clearly incorrect.

[Zacs-Master]

That was an add on to Stuey.

[stuey]

Also, to illustrate how interpretive terms etc can be, there is no such country as "America".

[Retrochic]

America WAS involved in WW11 before pearl harbour and Italy did NOT change sides during the war. The person writing the quiz needs some lessons in history!

[Zacs-Master]

Shame that all those of mature years who scored 100% didn't spot that one.

[jno]

open to interpretation whether Italy "changed sides" - their "Co-Belligerent Army" fought alongside the Allies and the Allies didn't exactly tell them to go away

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Co-Belligerent_Army

[ludwig]

// Italy did NOT change sides during the war //

True. After the war started they kept quiet about whose side they actually on until they had a chance to see how it was going to turn out.

[vulcan42]

Considering the carnage of the last 100 years we have learnt precious little from history. It's possible that if it hadn't been written down and taught to future generations the world might be a better place.

[Svejk]

I got the Italy one wrong and like Aog and Retro I wouldn't say they 'switched' sides. I'd have said they capitulated.

[stuey]

I'm finding it difficult to understand why so many 100%'ers were of the opinion that Italy did change sides.

[Retrochic]

Stuey, I'm wondering how many 100%'s are telling porkies :-)

[ludwig]

// I'm finding it difficult to understand why so many 100%'ers were of the opinion that Italy did change sides. //

Because that's the correct answer according to the quiz, so even if it's wrong, if you said it, you got 100%.