AP History class reworked to make U.S. sound BETTER (complete with a section on 'American exceptionalism')

  • GOP leaders rallied against 'vague and unpatriotic' 2014 curriculum
  • They said it lacked values and the phrasing was 'un-American' 
  • Despite defending the framework, the College Board has now revised it
  • There is now a section on 'US exceptionalism' and more on WWII victory

By Mia De Graaf For Dailymail.com

Published: 18:38 EST, 30 July 2015 | Updated: 00:06 EST, 31 July 2015

The Advanced Placement History course will now be more patriotic after the exam board caved to conservative pressure.

Last year's curriculum sparked outrage among GOP leaders as it was no longer compulsory to name the Founding Fathers or to recite details of America's victory in World War II.

Now, after months spent defending the document, the College Board has released a revised set of guidelines for the exam, known as APUSH. 

The most notable change will be the introduction of a new section titled 'American exceptionalism'.

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Changes: The new AP History curriculum will now be more patriotic, with a section on 'US exceptionalism'

Changes: The new AP History curriculum will now be more patriotic, with a section on 'US exceptionalism'

Speaking to Newsweek, a College Board official said they had 'previously assumed [exceptionalism] wasn’t something it needed to spell out as part of what would be taught in an American history course.'

However, it became evident in the last few months that many disagreed.

Ben Carson led the wave of anger, saying students who took the course would be 'ready to sign up for ISIS' by the end of it.

Many complained that the phrasing - which was deliberately adjusted to be more vague - seemed un-American, critical and lacking in values. 

At first the Board called on its critics to respect history teachers' judgement. 

Eventually, after states including Georgia, Oklahoma and Texas tried to veto the curriculum, the RNC passed a resolution condemning the 'radically revisionist view of American history that emphasizes negative aspects of our nation’s history while omitting or minimizing positive aspect'. 

The new framework will stipulate the need for students to be able to name the Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and John Adams.

Backlash: GOP leaders condemned the 2014 framework that did not name check the Founding Fathers

Backlash: GOP leaders condemned the 2014 framework that did not name check the Founding Fathers

Tweaks: Positive elements of US history - primarily military victories - have been emphasized, though the College Board insist there will be significant chapters on negative aspects such as the slave trade

There will also be greater emphasis placed on America's victories in both World Wars and political dominance in the wake of the Cold War. 

And the number of Thematic Learning Objectives - requirements for students to pass - has been reduced from 50 to 19. 

But College Board officials have been quick to stipulate that it will not become laden with values - there remain significant chapters on the slave trade and other 'negative aspects' of US history.

'Every statement in the 2015 edition has been examined with great care based on the historical record and the principled feedback the College Board received,' the Board said in a statement. 

'The result is a clearer and more balanced approach to the teaching of American history that remains faithful to the requirements that colleges and universities set for academic credit. 

'The new edition has been embraced by educators, including AP U.S. History teachers who reviewed it at the recent AP Annual Conference.'

 

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