How is the American Revolution covered in British and European world history textbooks?

steven s

New member
I am researching this as part of a project that i might assign my students in the fall semester about how historical events are viewed in other countries. Any Insights?
 
I haven't seen British textbooks, but I spent a summer in Britain when I was in college. My group was staying in a dorm at Queen Elizabeth College in London. On July 4, the British students threw a "Fourth of July" party. We were shocked they would celebrate the 4th, but they laughed and said, why not, you can't go from July 3 to July 5 and skip the 4th.

Anyway, they kept saying "you people from the colonies..." In a serious discussion, they said that England didn't want to lose the colonies, but it was more important to fight France, so they didn't want to dedicate a lot of money or their best troops to fighting the American colonists. They kept saying the "colonies" weren't that important.

Not sure if that's how they actually teach it, but I hope it gives you some insight to start with.
 
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