Presents a policy statement from the National Council for the Social Studies for the quincentenary of Columbus's first new world voyage. Recommends that teachers help students comprehend the contemporary relevance of 1492 and provide basic, accurate knowledge about Columbus's voyages, their historical setting, and unfolding effects. Suggests areas…

Discusses "Seeds of Change," a Columbian quincentenary exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution. Describes the rapid transformation of the Americas after contact with the Europeans. Reports that the exhibit explores the destruction of the native population by disease, war, slavery, the ongoing decimation of the rain forest, and the…

Argues that global or world studies should be a key course in the secondary curriculum. Asserts that knowledge of Western culture cannot prepare students adequately for participation in an interdependent world. Describes dominant and alternative approaches to teaching world studies. (CFR)

Examines the contribution of William Prescott's historical writing and the influence that it still exerts over Spanish historical scholarship in the United States. Prescott posited Spain as decadent, aristocratic, and consumed by social stratification and religious dogma, the antithesis of a vigorous and democratic United States. (MJP)

Presents an interpretive study of the Armenian genocide of 1915 based on Israel Charny's societal-forces model. Argues genocides follow a pattern of long discriminatory relationships between a dominant and a dominated group. Cites the economic achievements of dominated groups as the basis. Shows the global pattern of genocide. (NL)

How the theme of human movement--migration, and particularly immigration--can be integrated into junior high U.S. history and world history/geography courses is discussed. To avoid turning the study of migration into an unwitting process of reinforcing ethnocentrism, two steps need to be taken. First, the movement of people throughout the world…

Discusses difficulties in teaching about the Columbian quincentenary. Suggests ways to approach the subject with sensitivity, such as focusing on Columbus the individual or as a part of western European effort to understand the world. Addresses intercultural contact, women's history, world history, and pre-Columbian American culture. Lists…

Explores the native artwork of the Benin people and discusses how it can be used to document an African perspective to the "Age of Discovery." Portugal established trade with Benin (a small country on the west coast of Africa) in 1486. Includes illustrations and suggested student activities. (MJP)

Contends that a major focus of contemporary U.S. education is the nature and character of interethnic relationships. Discusses five models of ethnic relations: (1) traditional Eurocentric Racism; (2) Melting Pot Assimilationism; (3) Ethnic Nationalism; (4) Globalism; and (5) Centered Pluralism. (CFR)

Urges that history not focus on world history to the extent that the histories of people of color are ignored or lost in the larger world view. Suggests that contemporary accounts of U.S. history be rewritten to integrate the experiences of diverse groups of people. Argues that such change can help eliminate racism. (DK)

Tracks the intermittent appearances and variations of the historical concept of a "Pacific Age" from the 1890s to the present. Discusses the social, economic, and historical conditions that resulted in the term's heralding of either economic optimism or racist peril. Suggests these interpretations come in cycles. (MJP)

Explores the rationale for including the Holocaust in the social studies curriculum and analyzes how aspects can be introduced at elementary grade levels. Outlines course objectives for studying the Holocaust that are relevant to major issues in social studies. Notes 34 states do not require world history courses and textbook content is uneven.…

Presents a year long plan for teaching about Columbus's voyages and their impact on the Americas. Discusses themes of bias in history, how language can be used to create a certain image, and concepts of heroism, respect, and power. Includes instructions for schoolwide, social studies and history projects with interdepartmental coordination. (DK)

Maintains that negative stereotypes of Arabs permeate U.S. popular culture. Discusses Arab stereotypes among educators and the effects of stereotyping on Arab American students. Describes efforts used in the Dearborn, MI, schools to eliminate stereotypes and integrate into the curriculum the study of Arab culture. (CFR)