Ok guys don't beat me up if this is common knowledge that somehow my girlfriend and I both had never heard. We were just watching the History channel and the revolutionary war was mentioned. In this mention the "real" first president of the US was mentioned. HUH? We both looked at each other like "what the heck" and I went and did an Ask Jeeves search. Sure enough, there were seven presidents before Washington! Now I understand we are talking before the constitution, but come one now, you think it would have been mentioned when we were in school! Neither her or I remember ever learning this.
How many of you knew it? :confused:

John Hanson, the first president of the USA (click here) (http://www.marshallhall.org/hanson.html)

Excellent. Thanks, no I didn't know. This sure beats the Bulgarian history post.

I'd never heard that befor either. Isn't it interesting that in an open society we are still getting the doctored version of our history.

Originally posted by Echo2
I'd never heard that befor either. Isn't it interesting that in an open society we are still getting the doctored version of our history.

Overly simplified perhaps, but not doctored.

I did know this before... However, on the topic of doctored history, I think it still is. Simplfied doesn't quite cut it, most history classes(and certainly the history books) rip out information in favour of "political correctness" bullshit. The highly republicanized Articles of Confederation are portrayed as it's more than just didn't work very well then, is more vilefied. The constitution(which was seen by most as a horrendous document), in stark contrast, is portrayed as holy and wonderful. However, the problem with teaching American history does not lie in the founding of the country, it lies more in the many years that follow. The destructive and deceptive period of McCarthy is very lightly touched upon. Most wars instigated by the United States are avoided, and if they are covered, the US obviously had a very legitimate reason to do such. American History is outrageously slanted and I consider it to be a complete disservice to every American, especially when Europeans would know our history better. We're told half-truths in order to instill "patriotism"(nationalism) in every American. Although, worse still is the complete fuck up our science education is...

i agree that history classes are ridiculous and baised, and used ust for patriotic purposes, my anthropology teacher has an interesting view on our crappy science programs: nobody is interested in science, not as many scientific breakthroughs are made, and cience isn't as well known or respected, so religon is more easily believed. i read a statistic the other day that said 45% of american adults don't belive in evolution. i wonder where that comes from....

I think the quote "History is the lie most greed upon" explains that perfectly.

Just remember that the good guys always win in history, because history is written by the winners.

In viewing present day history books I saw many changes from when I attended high school. Many things that I had to study in depth were eliminated or merely touched upon.

Originally posted by Dan Fussell
In viewing present day history books I saw many changes from when I attended high school. Many things that I had to study in depth were eliminated or merely touched upon.

That's because teachers have to spend all of their time teaching the kids to pass the next government-mandated test.

I agree Lionel, the larger government grows and the more it entervenes on a state level, the poorer the benefit to society in general. The magnitude of the government is so tremendous that no President could possible be informed of all the goings-on.
It appears, for instance, that the original founding fathers did not forsee full time politicians. A government that has grown to the proportions of ours must have been unimaginable to those farmer-part time politicians.
I see no end to it. Too many people on the payroll.

I do not know of any statistics but I would not be suprised to find that the combined governments (state, federal, municipal) to be the largest employer in the United States.

My AP History class is a waste.

Instead of learning actual history and preparing for the exam, we read books and do art projects and crap.

I am retaking the class on the internet.