LMTTM Chapter 1 - The Problem with Making Heroes

​ (a)   was a ​ (b)   , someone who wanted far-reaching changes in society. Her particular form was ​ (c)   , a type of economy in which the government owns and controls most of a country’s sources of goods and wealth.

• Helen Keller
• radical
• socialism
• Eleanor Roosevelt
• Marie Curie
• communism
• authoritarianism
• pacifist
• bureaucrat

Loewen argues that the _____________ context of Helen Keller's early life is focused on because it is less controversial than the political context of her later life.

Organize these options into the right categories.

Groups:

(a) President Wilson Opposed

,

(b) President Wilson Supported

• Racial Integration of the Armed Forces

• Women's Suffrage

• Socialist Labor Leaders

• U.S. Troop Interventions in Latin America

• Ending Colonialism

• The League of Nations

• White Supremacy

• Newspaper Censorship

Loewen argues that textbooks typically avoid the later stages of Helen Keller's life because it raises the "thorny" subject of:

• Social Class

• Racial Inequity

• Wartime Propaganda

• Labor Union Activism

Given Loewen's clear bias in Lies My Teacher Told Me, he would be most likely to state that textbook's heroification of individuals in U.S. history is meant to promote:

Please identify the statement below that would come from a critic of Loewen's decision to include the quote from Helen Keller.

• Loewen weakens national unity by emphasizing class differences.

• Loewen is misusing Helen Keller's political and social opinions from earlier in her life.

• Loewen fails to reveal that the U.S. government was indeed pro-socialist during the Wilson administration.

• Loewen reinforces the "bootstrap" argument that people need only try and they will succeed in society.

According to Loewen, "Authors and publishers might fear that their ​ (a)   will not be chosen for use in ​ (b)   if they are too ​ (c)   . They might want to avoid ​ (d)   or conflict in the classroom. They might feel a need to ​ (e)   children from troublesome facts."

• textbooks
• schools
• honest
• uncertainty
• protect

Ultimately, Loewen concludes that heroes are unnecessary when discussing national identity.

• True

• False

Match each sentence starter to its appropriate conclusion, per the opinion of Loewen.

• -without direct or indirect evidence.

• President Wilson's true accomplishments:

• -harms understanding of cause-effect.

• Authors leave things out of history to:

• -mix societal positives with negatives.

• Teaching history as heroic:

• -appeal to as many people as possible.

• Textbooks will sometimes explain behavior:

• -risks being labeled as unpatriotic.

• To discuss the flaws of our leaders:

Please identify the statement below that Loewen would DISAGREE with.

• The Birth of a Nation was a landmark technical film production.

• President Wilson endorsed the film as historically accurate.

• Racism from political leadership can elicit racism from the public.

• No evidence shows a link between The Birth of a Nation and a new Ku Klux Klan.