most Brits don't know about the war of independence.

[JohnnySavage]

Most Americans believe the Revolutionary War was fought for such noble ideas as liberty, freedom and self-determination. It was actually fought to protect the 1%ers of the time; who, roused the rabble to fight and die so they wouldn't have to pay taxes.


Not much has changed in the past 230 some years.

 

[Lancecastor]

Tom Brokaw explains Canada to Americans:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV_041oYDjg

 

[oggbashan]

Most Americans believe the Revolutionary War was fought for such noble ideas as liberty, freedom and self-determination. It was actually fought to protect the 1%ers of the time; who, roused the rabble to fight and die so they wouldn't have to pay taxes.


Not much has changed in the past 230 some years.

And from the British side, the war was fought to protect those Brits who owned large chunks of the 13 Colonies.

 

[snugglestruggle]

I have just looked at the current UK National Curriculum guidelines for History.

None of it is specific to any period or event.

Fifty years ago, my last History examination at age 16, O level, covered English and European History for the period 1850 to 1914, ending at the outbreak of World War 1.

We had covered earlier periods up to age 14, but the American War of Independence was seen as a sideshow in our continuing 18th and 19th Century wars with the French. But we were given the impression that it had been an unnecessary war. If British politicians had been less intransigent, the 13 Colonies could have been given the rights to raise their own taxation and to have representation in Westminster.

It was a monumental screw up which altered the course of human History.

Still it worked out ok. We gave them 50 old WW1 era destroyers, England gave us Chips n Fish, Birds Custard & Dolf. lol

 

[Wrong Element]

And how many Yanks can name the main belligerents in the English Civil War? Without Wikipedia. Yanks don't even know England was once a republic ruled by Puritans. You want to talk ignorance or turning away from an embarrassing loss. Ask a Yank about the War of 1812, where they invaded Canada and got their asses whipped. There were more Frenchman at Yorktown than American "patriots". The French hadn't won a sea battle against the RN in centuries. Finally they win one, just in time to help the Yanks win their rebellion.

The Americans should erect a statue to this guy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Germain,_1st_Viscount_Sackville
He did more to lose the war than the Yanks did to win it.

The Brits know nothing about the War of 1812 either. They had their hands full with Napoleon at the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-bC2TWTGyQ

Blow it out your arse.

 

[unregistered]

 

[Sean Renaud]

As if Democrats in 1812 have anything in common with modern Dems.

 

[Queersetti]

Seriously, you ask the average Brit and they won't have a clue. American history isn't taught in school. I had no idea until it was mentioned enough times on lit for me to get curious.

It's funny/weird when you guys bring it up as something you think we're all bitter about.

...like how Brit footy fans think the Germans see us as arch rivals, the way Brit fans think of the Germans.

You probably still know as much about it as most Americans.

 

[Skiddles2014]

Worth a watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFgPX0hnNfA

Perfect.

 

[Lancecastor]

Perfect.

The Mike Huckabee bit is hilarious.

 

[Bad_Doggie]

When younger I remember being told “we gave that bit back” referring to America!!!!!!!

My introduction to American history came through the TV series “The Last of the Mohicans and James Fenimore Cooper’s book.

Don’t remember being taught much, if anything, about it at school, but, picked up quite a bit through an interest in the “new” frontier.

Woof!

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Most Americans believe the Revolutionary War was fought for such noble ideas as liberty, freedom and self-determination. It was actually fought to protect the 1%ers of the time; who, roused the rabble to fight and die so they wouldn't have to pay taxes.


Not much has changed in the past 230 some years.

Uh, no.

GEORGE III and Parliament were owned by the East India Tea Company (think WALMART); GEORGE borrowed money from them for all his foreign intrigues, and many MPs were tea company shareholders.

So GEORGE gave the tea company total commercial rights to North America. The tea company controlled all commerce and Americans had to compete with the tea company for business. Americans started smuggling cheaper stuff from the Dutch, Spanish, and French. There was no other way to sell cheaper than the tea company. The tea company brought in the British army, to go after the smugglers, and the rest is history.

 

[Bad_Doggie]

Still it worked out ok. We gave them 50 old WW1 era destroyers, England gave us Chips n Fish, Birds Custard & Dolf. lol

Errrrmm you sold them to us actually!

But gave us Donald Duck so there is that.

Woof!

 

[oggbashan]

Errrrmm you sold them to us actually!

But gave us Donald Duck so there is that.

Woof!

And acquired the use of several British bases, which you still use.

 

[Queersetti]

And acquired the use of several British bases, which you still use.

Fair's fair, you still aren't speaking German.

 

[Saint Peter]

We gave you atomic weapons and rock and roll.


yw

 

[dolf]

Fair's fair, you still aren't speaking German.

that's another one. you might imagine brits would be aware of the extent & type of US involvement, but our gramps & granny often don't like to talk about the war. it isn't really highlighted at school, so when y'all say that most brits just think ''that's nice, dear.''

 

[oggbashan]

We gave you atomic weapons and rock and roll.


yw

There was a considerable British involvement in the development of the atomic bomb.

Should we be grateful for Rock and Roll? Our first British exponent was Cliff Richard (shudder!).

 

[Queersetti]

We gave you atomic weapons and rock and roll.


yw

They tried to give us beans for breakfast. It's not their fault we didn't take it.

 

[Saint Peter]

There was a considerable British involvement in the development of the atomic bomb.

Should we be grateful for Rock and Roll? Our first British exponent was Cliff Richard (shudder!).

We should both be thanking the germans for the poofers.

 

[oggbashan]

that's another one. you might imagine brits would be aware of the extent & type of US involvement, but our gramps & granny often don't like to talk about the war. it isn't really highlighted at school, so when y'all say that most brits just think ''that's nice, dear.''

Our history lessons don't really include the Pacific Theater. When I was at school in Australia, the war in the Pacific was given far more emphasis than the European theatre, even though Australians were prominent in both.

The Australian troops had difficulty forgiving the Brits for the surrender of Singapore. Too many Australians were sent there too late, and too many of them died as Prisoners of War held and worked to death by the Japanese.

 

[Saint Peter]

They tried to give us beans for breakfast. It's not their fault we didn't take it.

Yes.

Who could blame us? Not me.

 

[dolf]

we gave you bitches a whole fucking language.

 

[Ishmael]

And from the British side, the war was fought to protect those Brits who owned large chunks of the 13 Colonies.

Which they still owned after it was all sorted out.

Ishmael

 

[oggbashan]

Which they still owned after it was all sorted out.

Ishmael

Unless they were displaced "Tories". Their property was seized by the US.