I was talking about anecdotal average Americans. That is to say, they may or may not be highly representative, but they’re the one we hear anecdotes about. In other words, I didn’t mean to impugn Americans as a group, and intended to refer only jokingly to the idea of classing all Americans as a single group with a meaningful (low variance) typical knowledge of history.
and to the the factual assumption that school curriculum translates into knowledge of adults
I do believe that a large majority of people everywhere never learn any more about most historical subjects than what they are taught in mandatory classes in school. And so they don’t revise or correct the school curriculum’s claims. If you disagree, can you give examples of historical claims made in school that average adults disbelieve? Particularly descriptions of historical events that happened outside their own country?
Certainly, some things are forgotten, but I expect other things are remembered, particularly when people encounter direct questions about the subject. And those that are remembered, are typically there from school.
I was talking about anecdotal average Americans. That is to say, they may or may not be highly representative, but they’re the one we hear anecdotes about. In other words, I didn’t mean to impugn Americans as a group, and intended to refer only jokingly to the idea of classing all Americans as a single group with a meaningful (low variance) typical knowledge of history.
I do believe that a large majority of people everywhere never learn any more about most historical subjects than what they are taught in mandatory classes in school. And so they don’t revise or correct the school curriculum’s claims. If you disagree, can you give examples of historical claims made in school that average adults disbelieve? Particularly descriptions of historical events that happened outside their own country?
Not disbelieve, just don’t remember, aren’t aware of anymore, 10 or 30 years later.
Certainly, some things are forgotten, but I expect other things are remembered, particularly when people encounter direct questions about the subject. And those that are remembered, are typically there from school.