TTC - The Skeptics Guide to American History

Category: History
Language: EnglishKeywords: America American History

Written by Prof. Mark Stoler
Format: MP3
Unabridged

For most Americans, the history of the United States is built on a set of long-accepted beliefs about events, each of which resonates in the nation’s collective memory. But what if those beliefs-however familiar-don’t really tell the whole story? Our knowledge of history-or what we believe to be history-is the lens through which we view and interpret the world. And when that lens is distorted with misleading information, it has powerful effects on how we perceive the present and how we make decisions in the future, from choosing whom to vote for to interpreting the latest developments in today’s news and opinion pieces. To take a skeptical approach to American history is not to dabble in imaginative conspiracy theories or doubt the essence of the American experiment; rather, it’s to reframe your understanding of this great nation’s past and actually strengthen your appreciation for what makes American history such a fascinating chapter in the larger story of Western civilization. Sorting through misconceptions, myths, and half-truths about America’s past is also a chance to revisit some of the country’s greatest episodes, figures, and themes from a fresh perspective and an opportunity to hone the way you think about and interpret the past, the present, and even the future. In The Skeptic’s Guide to American History, you can do just that. This bold 24-lecture course examines many commonly held myths and half-truths about American history and prompts you to think about what really happened in the nation’s past-as opposed to what many believe happened.