Assignment task: These questions are about the documentary "The Story We Tell" from the series "Race: The Power of Illusion."
View the first 37 minutes of the documentary, "The Story We Tell."
Be sure you watch "Episode 2". Please watch the first 37 minutes or so.
CHOOSE one:
1) In the film, historian James Horton points out that colonial white Americans invented the story that "there's something different about 'those' people" in order to rationalize believing in the contradictory ideas of equality and slavery at the same time. Likewise, historian Reginald Horsman shows how the explanation continued to be used to resolve other dilemmas: "This successful republic is not destroying Indians just for the love of it, they're not enslaving Blacks because they are selfish, they're not overrunning Mexican lands because they are avaricious.
This is part of some great inevitability... of the way races are constituted." What stories of difference are used to mask or cover up oppression today? Why do we need to tell ourselves these kinds of stories?
OR
2) Historian Matthew P. Guterl observes, "Most Americans believed that race was one of the most important parts of national life; that race mattered because it guaranteed this country a [glorious] future in the history of the world." While few would admit it today, do you think the definition of progress is still tied to being white? Can you think of historical or current instances in which those who are not defined as white are blamed for American weakness or problems?
OR
3) How did the issue of race change over time for the Cherokees and other tribes? For example, how and why did things change?
Reply to one student's post with insightful and thoughtful commentary of roughly 60 to 80 words.
Remember, you must post first, then you will see your peers' posts.