forumtate

<<Abraham Lincoln didn't fight the Civil War to free the slaves and
give them American citizenship, but it's a cultural myth so big that
it clouds any discussion of the Civil War.>>

Really?

So, how does one know when things are true or not? I mean, you can
always find (at least) two sides to a historical account. Like what
was posted about the Columbus story and whether certain islands were
inhabited or not. One culture says they were there; one culture says
no one was there…

How do you wade through the BS??? (I read "Lies My Teacher Told Me"
a few years ago… maybe I should check it out again)

TATE
=o)

Kelly Lenhart

>So, how does one know when things are true or not? I mean, you can
>always find (at least) two sides to a historical account.

Well, if you are looking at primary sources of a historical event, then you
sort of have to sort through and figure out which version (or middle
version) makes sense.

But in most of these cases we are talking about the "text book" version or
the "popular culture" version. In that case, go to the primary sources. Or
even secondary sources. Read a good book written by someone who DID look at
the primaries. Or better yet, read two or three books like that. Compare
what they chose to look at when they have a discrepency. Or where they are
coming from.


Kelly