Common historical fallacies: Difference between revisions

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'''Creating Common historical fallacies taught by high school & other teachers'''
'''Creating Common historical fallacies taught by high school & other teachers'''


* teachers have a point of view that inescapably informs their teaching
* teachers are frequently responsible for erroneous historical facts or interpretations
** teachers have a point of view that inescapably informs their teaching
* the best teachers "teach" not "preach"
* the best teachers "teach" not "preach"
** but even the most objectively-minded teacher has as a point of view, an underlying outlook
** but even the most objectively-minded teacher has as a point of view, an underlying outlook
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[[File:US-SlaveryPercentbyState1790-1860.svg|thumb|Evolution of the enslaved population of the United States as a percentage of the population of each state, 1790–1860]]
[[File:US-SlaveryPercentbyState1790-1860.svg|thumb|Evolution of the enslaved population of the United States as a percentage of the population of each state, 1790–1860]]
==== logical fallacy 1: colonial slave v. overall population growth ====
==== logical fallacy 1: colonial slave v. overall population growth ====
** the growth of colonial African slavery was linear until the development of the cotton gin
* the growth of colonial African slavery was linear until the development of the cotton gin
*** but the growth of the overall colonial economy was exponential
** after which, given the truly slave-dependent cotton economy ("king cotton") slavery became a more important element of the US economy
*** therefore slavery was not the basis of the colonial American economy
*** but it was never a dominant or even majority source of American economic activity
==== logical fallacy 2: value of slave-produced goods v. overall economy ====  
** up to 1800, colonial population growth was much higher for whites than for slaves
** whereas, after 1800, slave population increased dramatically, overtaking white populations in many areas of the south
*** therefore slavery was not the basis of the colonial development
*
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==== logical fallacy 2: colonial per capita wealth not reliant upon slavery ====
* as a proportion of per capita private wealth in 1774:
* as a proportion of per capita private wealth in 1774:
* chart to be completed
** chart to be completed
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||Wealth source|| All 13 colonies || New England || Middle Colonies || South
||Wealth source|| All 13 colonies || New England || Middle Colonies || South