Some Observations on the Impact of World History on the Teaching of U.S. History

Many elementary and secondary history teachers have only a superficial awareness of the impact of world history on U.S. History. The European explorations, settlements, and commercial ventures in the New World are not well understood. The British-French rivalry is a significant part of the context for the American Revolution. Similar importance attaches to the French role in the Louisiana Purchase and the British and French roles in the Civil War. America's Industrial Revolution needs to be seen alongside its British counterpart. International rivalries over shipping routes and access to trading ports are important background material for many aspects of U.S. history. The Spanish colonization policy in Latin American and Asia was a major contributing factor to the Mexican and Spanish-American Wars. The clashes between the Ottoman Empire and various European countries that preceded World War I are also of crucial importance.  The United Nations and the impact of global economic changes are also of prime importance.  Some Teaching American History programs have begun to remedy this situation by infusing world history into their professional development seminars for teachers. Some examples will be presented.