From the creators of Common Core, David Coleman and the College Board, the new AP US History course is an assault on our country’s heritage. The new AP US History (APUSH) framework presents a relentlessly negative view of American history, emphasizing every problem and failing of our ancestors while ignoring or minimizing their achievements. The College Board’s reinterpretation of US history, as presented in the new APUSH course, is a biased and inaccurate view of many important facets of American history, including the motivations and actions of 17th -19th-century settlers, American involvement in World War II, and the conduct of, and victory in, the Cold War.
The period of the American Revolution up to the 1787 Constitutional Convention Almost every Founding Father is omitted – no Jefferson, Adams, Madison, or Franklin. The AP US History Framework excludes Lexington, Concord, Bunker Hill, Valley Forge, Saratoga, and Yorktown. The commanders and heroes of these pivotal battles are all omitted.
Civil War Omits the Lincoln-Douglas debates, the Gettysburg Address, and the assassination of President Lincoln. Once again omits crucial battles, key commanders, and the valor of common soldiers.
World War II Omits “The Greatest Generation,” Truman, Hitler, D-Day, Midway, the Battle of the Bulge, and every military commander including Dwight Eisenhower. Inexplicably, Nazi atrocities against Jews and other groups are not required. APUSH concludes its treatment of WWII with this blunt statement: “The decision to drop the atomic bomb raised questions about American values.”
Civil Rights Movement Does not mention America’s first African-American President. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Cesar Chavez, Rosa Parks, the Navajo Code Talkers, Tuskegee Airmen, 442nd Infantry Regiment, and Barbara Jordan’s famous speech on the Constitution are all omitted.
United States Military A word search of the entire 98-page document will not find one military commander or one Medal of Honor recipient. Our best and brightest students will thus learn nothing of the heroism and sacrifices of Americans in uniform.
Usurping Local Education Control “The redesigned Framework is best described as a curricular coup that sets a number of dangerous precedents. By providing a detailed course of study that defines, discusses, and interprets ‘the required knowledge of each period,’ the College Board has in effect supplanted local and state curriculum by unilaterally assuming the authority to prioritize historic topics.” — Jane Robbins, American Principles Project
