Thank you David. Anne Gwaltney -----Original Message----- >From: "Hardin, David" <[log in to unmask]> >Sent: May 23, 2007 12:11 PM >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? > > Judging by J. South's comment, some of us have > learned very little. Because history is a product > of culture, the history that is being written today > reflects the changes in our society. Those who > complain so much about “PC” history are saying > much less about the new history than they are about > their own deep-seated fears and prejudices. When > they rant about “PC history that ‘celebrates’ > such nonsense in American History such as Harriet > Tubman,” what they’re really saying is “Why do > we have to hear about all of ‘those people’?” > What do they want? Traditional Correctness, of > course. “TC” history is the kind of history > that for centuries in Virginia was written to > promote myths of Cavaliers, or divinely-inspired > Founders, or beknighted martyrs of a fanciful Lost > Cause. I’m a descendants of both Jamestown and > Plymouth (by way of Priscilla Mullins, no less), but > I was bored silly by the kind of WASP commentary > that was taught as the "official" history when I was > growing up in the 60s and 70s in Fairfax County. It > may come as a shock to some, but the past is full of > peoples and events that bare little resemblance to > the lily white and starch-stiff TC history that has > been inflicted upon us until fairly recently. I'd > like to think the stake finally has been driven > through the heart of sanitized, jingoistic, > nationalistic, Anglo-centric, feel-good "American" > history, but TC history will be around as long as > there are people interested in hearing narrow and > sterile interpretations of the past. The real > lesson of the Jamestown Quadricentennial is that it > is a perfect example of how some would like to see > the past and how it really was. You can either skip > happily through the sanitized and idealized > Jamestown Settlement – with brave, noble, and > properly-bathed Englishmen living in harmony with > “friendly” (read: subservient) Natives – or > you can deal with the reality of Jamestown Island > – full of heroes, scoundrels, and bad smells > surrounded by angry Natives, both willing to do very > unpleasant things to survive. I would suggest that > the former is for school kids while the latter is > for grownups. > > > > Now having sniped at Jamestown Settlement, let me > note that the program this past weekend at > Chesterfield County’s Henricus Historical Park – > featuring a visit by the Godspeed – was very well > done and extremely well attended. The reenactment > program there is fairly good and, except for the > usual lack of sailing vessels there, gives Jamestown > Settlement a run for its money (as a county park, it > is considerably cheaper). An interesting parallel > to Henricus Historical Park is Pioneer Village in > Salem, Massachusetts. While Henricus interprets the > “Citie of Henricus” circa 1611 (thereby being > able to largely sidestep the slavery issue), Pioneer > Village interprets the fishing village of Salem > circa 1630 (thereby sidestepping the witch issue – > although they do have a ducking stool!). As > Henricus is a pleasant alternative to Jamestown, so > Salem’s Pioneer Village is a wonderful alternative > to Plymouth Plantation. When I was there several > years ago, the park was populated by reenactors who > were good enough actors with enough knowledge to > remain in character. It may be even better now that > it’s gone through a recent renovation. > >________________________________ > >Dr. David S. Hardin >Assistant Professor of Geography >Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences >Longwood University >Farmville, Virginia 23909 >Phone: (434) 395-2581 >e-mail: [log in to unmask] > >******************** >"For as Geography without History >seemeth a carkasse without motion, >so History without Geography >wandreth as a Vagrant without a >certaine habitation." >John Smith, 1627 > > > ---- Original message ---- > > Date: Sun, 20 May 2007 22:43:45 EDT > From: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? > To: [log in to unmask] > > >You PC historians reap what you sow. You spend > time teaching this PC > >history that "celebrates" such nonsense in > American History such as Harriet Tubman, > >Cinco De Mayo and Kwanzaa, and then are upset > when Americans can't recite > >the reasons behind the Fourth of July or > Declaration of Independence. > > > >How about that human "global warming". > > > >J South > > > > > > > >************************************** See what's > free at http://www.aol.com.