Essential Question: Is the use of quoted statements valuable in encouraging students to gain understanding of the concept being studied.THE MEETING AT ANNAPOLIS
Shay’s rebellion was one of the best things that could have happened, for it showed the country more clearly than before that it was on the verge of anarchy, and that the remedy must not be delayed. Long before this, Washington comprehended the serious peril of the country, and he was in continual consultation with men whose worth and counsel he valued. The result was that a meeting of commissioners from Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York met at Annapolis in September 1786. They held an earnest discussion, but as only a minority of the States were represented, nothing positive could be done, and an adjournment was had with a recommendation that each State should send delegates to meet in Philadelphia in May, 1787. The prestige of Washington’s name gave so much weight to the recommendation that at the appointed date all the States were represented except Rhode Island.The wisdom of Washington was again manifest in a letter which he wrote some months before the meeting of the Constitutional Convention, and which contained the following:
“We have errors to correct. We have probably had too good an opinion of human nature in forming our confederation. Experience has taught us that without the intervention of a coercive power, men will not adopt and carry into execution measures best calculated for their own good. I do not conceive we can exist long as a nation without having lodged somewhere a power that will pervade the whole Union in as energetic a manner as the authority of the State governments extend over the several States…. I am told that even respectable characters speak of a monarchical form of government without horror. From thinking proceeds speaking; thence acting is but a single step. But how irrevocable and tremendous! What a triumph for our enemies to verify their predictions! What a triumph for the advocates of despotism to find that we are incapable of governing ourselves, and that systems founded on the basis of equal liberty are merely ideal and fallacious!”
When the news reached Washington of the disorders in New England, he was greatly troubled. “What stronger evidence can be given,” he asked, ‘of the want of energy in our government than these disorders? If there is not a power in it to check them, what security has a man for his life, liberty, or property? The consequences of a bad or inefficient government are too obvious to be dwelt upon. Thirteen sovereigns pulling against one another, and all tugging at the federal head, will soon bring ruin on the whole; whereas, a liberal and energetic constitution, well checked and well watched to prevent encroachment might restore us to that degree of respectability and consequence to which we had the fairest prospect of attaining.”
2 comments:
After doing research for a paper on the subject of textbooks, your post provides the essential problem with them. Historians are taking another look at Shays' Rebellion and suggesting that Washington was more of a "puppet" used by Hamilton who wanted to promote his idea of what we now call an industrial society. It was Hamilton's idea to create the Whiskey tax along with the structure of the tax, which caused many of the problems with the western settlements.
Many textbooks imply that Washington led a militia into a stand against the "western rebels", but Washington was almost physically unable to ride.
One of many problems with history/ss textbooks is the insistence on providing a "correct" or absolute answer, when there may not be one. In addition, they can never keep up with current research within the field. Instead, they promote erroneous ideas that have developed into an American myth having nothing to do with history. As an example, our current text has a large picture of "Molly Pitcher" at Monmouth. In the text they identify Molly as Mary Ludwig Hays. Historians discount this whole idea as there is no record of Hays being near Monmouth, and that the term Molly Pitcher was slang for the camp followers rather then a specific person.
Thanks for your comments.
It's well recognized that textbooks just cannot keep up with events, nor can they cover content exactly as the classroom teacher would like it to. Inaccuracies are also a problem. There is a book out (titled 'the trouble with textbooks') that I did NOT get for a Christmas present that I do want to order to order at some point that deals with this topic.
Other factors emphasize what is emphasized in the text as well - whatever the current social interests are - role of women, role of minority groups, etc.
I was reading an article recently that many Social Studies teachers are SS teachers second, and coaches first, or are heavily educated in American History and put into a World History class and are unfamiliar with the subjects they teach, relying heavily on the text. That's another problem to be dealt with another time.
Are the textbooks a necessary evil? I for one am encouraging a break-away, and movement into the world of Web 2.0 technology to develop and keep online texts that are current - and a lot less expensive.
I still like my 1899 text, though.
:o)
Post a Comment