The American War of Independence as Reflected in Polish Textbooks in 20th and 21st Century

Abstract

Abstract

The Polish scholarly literature has not yet attempted to present the way the American War of Independence has been reflected in Polish history textbooks. The article does not claim to be exhaustive. The author has tried, by taking up the topic, to refer to the research on school textbooks conducted in Poland and to extend it with the topic concerning the American Revolution in the years 1775-1783. The author examines the way these events are depicted in Polish textbooks of the 20^th and 21^st centuries, through the prism of transformations in Polish historiography. The topic of the American Revolution is an extensive one in Polish education. The sensitive issues include the problem of slavery. Furthermore, the issue of the Constitution, as the most important piece of legislation – the achievement of the revolution. It is also quite evident in terms of school textbooks that the attention of students has been directed towards three heroes over the decades – George Washington, Casimir Pulaski and Tadeusz Kosciuszko. The participation of representatives of European countries in the American Revolution and the updating of their pantheon has also been discussed.

Keywords

 American revolution, history textbooks, polish historiography, educational system