"Beneath the Gloss and Floss": Teaching American History in "The Great White North"

Abstract

LEAFING THROUGH THE PAGES of the most popular American history textbooks one is struck by the visual imagery and technicolor glitz. The shiny covers are adorned with American eagles, wings outstretched, the Statue of (Cinderella) Liberty, and, of course, that all-time favorite, a profusion of stars and stripes. Inside, the American experience is usually recounted as an onward and upward story of social progress, focusing primarily on the rise of American democracy and the growth of national power.' The message literally rises from the pages: E Pluribus UnumOut of the Many, One! American history textbooks and the vision of America they project can be discomforting for Canadians. Senior students in Ontario taking American history at the Grade 11 level find the glossy United States texts entertaining but rarely satisfying. Student reactions range widely from comments that the books reflect pure American hype or flagrant patriotism to the uncritical observation that American history is obviously more exciting and certainly more colorful than Canada's history. To the trained eye of skeptical Canadian teachers, the standard American history textbooks appear glossy, unabashedly nationalistic and thoroughly sanitized. Like candy floss at Coney Island, they taste gooey sweet, but quickly melt away in your mouth.