POP QUIZ: Question one: During what 50-year period did the Civil War take place? A) 1750-1800 B) 1800-1850 C) 1850-1900 D) 1900-1950. Question Two: Who was the American general at Yorktown: A) William T. Sherman B) Ulysses S. Grant C) Douglas MacArthur D) George Washington.
The answers are C and D respectively. If you got a 100 percent, put this test on the fridge and call your parents to brag. Because, believe it or not, this test was quite difficult for many university students. Eighty-one percent of the college seniors tested got a D or an F on the extended version of the most basic American history test created and administered by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, (ACTA) a non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining the high ideals and academic freedom at American universities. The questions above came directly from ACTA's study. The failure of university students to recognize key American historical events and people represents a more serious problem of university students graduating without a core understanding of the basic tenets of a solid liberal arts education. In particular, knowledge of U.S. history is essential and necessary to any liberal arts education, and the College should slowly phase in a U.S. History requirement, as well as its current general historical studies requisite.
The ACTA test did not test community colleges; they challenged the top 25 schools based on the U.S. News & World Report rankings. This means the best and brightest at schools like Yale, Harvard, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, and even the University itself, failed this most fundamental test.
For an idea of how simple the test and how ignorant American students are becoming, here are some more alarming statistics about the results of the test. Only 45 percent of students could identify during which 20 year period Thomas Jefferson was president, and only 44 percent could identify when Lincoln was president. The Civil War question presented in the first paragraph, a staggering 60 percent knew the correct answer to that one while only 34 percent could recognize George Washington as the general at Yorktown, even though all the other choices were generals during different wars. But when ACTA threw in a pop question asking students to recognize Beavis and Butthead, 99 percent of those surveyed got the question right.
College costs a small fortune and students, even at the most prestigious institutions, are not leaving educated. History major or not, a college-educated man or woman should know during which 50-year period the Civil War took place. It would be one thing not to know the exact date (1861-1865), but given a 50 year time frame college seniors must have a clue as to when one of the most influential events of our history occurred.
Without an understanding of American history, citizens can't comprehend the unique nature of our society. The principles that are so essentially American -- liberty, justice and equality -- are inculcated and understood through the development of American history. A keen understanding of history makes one a better citizen, because it provides American men and women with a prospective of who they are in relation to the people, ideals and events that came before them. As Jefferson himself said, "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, it expects what never was and never will be."
U.S. history is incredibly important for the American public, and when universities don't emphasize the importance of American history, the graduates -- potential parents, lawyers, teachers, etc. -- won't value this history. Each generation then passes on an ignorance of American history. Therefore, the importance of American history is not just demonstrated in American universities, but also in the primary education of the general public.
Although most people will concede that history is an important subject to study, some claim universities should prioritize teaching students how to learn instead of what to learn. However, this argument lacks serious merit.
Abstract learning is not a replacement for a general education, but an enhancement. Knowing how to apply knowledge is important, but one needs a base set of facts for a foundation. Universities are giving students great artistic creativity but are denying them the paint and canvas.
Of the top 25 universities, not a single one has an American history requirement, according to the ACTA study. The College does not have a requirement, but according to Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Ed Ayers, over 80 percent of University students take a U.S. history course here, and that's not including those exempt due to AP test scores. In addition, with budget cuts as drastic as they are, the U.S. history department would definitely struggle to fill a staff to manage an influx of students if a requirement was created.
However, with results like the ones presented in the ACTA study, a requirement must be debated and considered. With a high interest in U.S. history demonstrated by the student body, there would be few vacancies to fill. Although the University should not put this strain on the U.S. history department when the budget is tight, in the future we must not forget the importance of the past.
(Patrick Harvey's column appears
Mondays in the Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at pharvey@cavalierdaily.com.)
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