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They barely teach about it as it is. My daughter's social studies textbook had page after page about Marbury v. Madison and two paragraphs about Harriet Tumbman.
Harriet Tubman was a great hero, but she did not shape society. Marbury v. Madison established judicial review, which allows the SC to strike down laws as unconstitutional. That's massive. Brown v. Board of Education or Roe v. Wade rely on that.
Judicial review has been adopted by republics around the world (though not all). Writing as a European, I believe it's a greatly underappreciated US contribution to global culture and the cause of democracy and human rights.
Marbury v. Madison established judicial review, which allows the SC to strike down laws as unconstitutional.
That is literally all a 14-year-old needs to know about it.
What are they actually taught about MvM?
I'm not sure what kids should be taught about Tubman. Generally, I don't think hero stories have much to say on society or history. Tubman makes for a good exception, as her story teaches the lesson that African-Americans and women were not merely passive objects of history but people who made their own decisions. It also teaches us that there are things that even the supposedly powerless can do. Even so, how much of her actual biography belongs in a social studies text?
At 14 a "normal" kid is in 9th grade, correct? As in they didn't start early, skip a grade, start behind, or get held back. At 9th grade, we should be preparing our kids for higher education. They need at least a paragraph so that the more curious kids take a further look into things.
I agree that Harriet Tubman and the UR deserve more attention than Indiana history books teach, I went to HS at MCHS in Madison, IN. And, boy howdy did they whitewash history back in the '90s.
At least we have what's left of the Internet now so that you can supplement poor teaching materials.
As a Music Ed major, which is Education with extra classes tacked on, I would be interested to hear what GB history books are like once you guys get over there.
What more than that do most people need to know about Marbury v. Madison? What is the significance or relevance to day of the debates over it and the events leading up to it? Because I don't think that is anywhere near as important as the emphasis you place on it.
Knowing that judicial review is a thing and that SCOTUS can do it and why they have that power should be enough for most people.
Marbury v. Madison established judicial review, which allows the SC to strike down laws as unconstitutional.
That only gives the what and how of the situation, not the why. Some explanation of why they were given that power is useful for the average citizen
Some explanation is not a dozen long online textbook pages. Especially when women as a whole in the 19th century rated four short pages.
Hang on, this was online? Not a printed book? Ok yeah, a few paragraphs and a hyperlink should cover it.
Yeah, textbooks are web-based for a lot of kids these days.
Got it. I majored in ME, and CS thankfully. I realized as soon as I graduated that schools are not a safe place for male teachers.
Just pointing out, I never said that 12 pages was appropriate, just that what you had specified was a bit too short.
Fair enough.
Recently watched a drunk history episode about spies, one of the segments featured Harriet Tubman. Absolutely worth a watch, you can find it on YouTube free.
Did you know she was Americas first female military leader? I didn’t till I saw that! And I got a half decent education where they didn’t gloss over slavery (helps I grew up in NY).
I would watch a whole movie with Octavia Butler as Drunk History Harriet Tubman. That shit was awesome.