Why is history often re-written by the government?

1. 87

   W. K. Hayesposted 13 years ago

   Why is history often re-written by the government?
   
   For example, George Washington wasn't the first president. The first president was John Hanson. However, thegoverment didn't want it in our recorded history that the first president dies after only serving for 24 hours so they re-wrote history declaring George Washington as the president.

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2. 60

   jvc007posted 13 years ago

   I had no idea seven presidents existed before Washington, and my favorite past time is to dig up a history book, WOW!
   
   Its's mostly re-written to keep a clean record to glorify the nation.
   It's been mostly ruled by men after all!
   
   Like keeping out from history the actual guy who rode during the revolution just because he had a bad sounding name and instead saying that Paul Revere did it. Their that good since I can't remember his name.

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3. 71

   Jefsaidposted 13 years ago

   Good question.  I believe that historically this has always been the case where a ruling power wishes to condition its subjects into conforming to certain beliefs or to deny people of certain facts that would undermine their authority and influence.  Look into the story of Great Zimbabwe...

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4. 58

   Freethinker79posted 13 years ago

   Because they have things they dont want the world to know. They are trying to create an image and to do so they need to alter history. And it goes further back than the first president.

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5. 0

   Old Empresarioposted 13 years ago

   But don't forget to make something else clear. John Hanson was only the President of the Continental Congress, not of the United States. George Washington was the first President of the United States. And the first president of the Continental Congress was Peyton Randolph; not Hanson. Hanson served as President of the Congress for one year. After stepping down, he lived another year before dying in 1783. George Washington did not become President of the US until 1789. A half-dozen or so other guys served between John Hanson and George Washington--when the Confederation was abandoned in favor of the republic. The President of the continental congress had much less power than the President of the United States; who was the commander in chief, head of state, chief executive, chief diplomat, chief legislator, chief jurist, and chief politician.
   But there are plenty of blantant lies in US history, that's for sure. The founding fathers were very conscious of what posterity would think of them.

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6. 61

   shubhansh jainposted 13 years ago

   I think they do so to have history in their favour, just for the sake of their respect in the World and to show that they will do what they want...

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7. 40

   KAYKAYKAYLAposted 13 years ago

   I would say that they re-write it so that it sounds better. I mean common look at thanksgiving thats not the true story for that. But thats what we all know it to be. Look it up I'm right.

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8. 80

   Wayne Brownposted 13 years ago

   History gets re-written much like corporations mis-interpret data in concluding the impact of their products.  Often, a large company may introduce a product in the the market place which just happens to coincide with something being changed which is regulating that market.  The change will favor this new product because it just happens to be lightweight and mobile. Sales will take off and as the company looks back on what transpired, they will fondly remember how their product revolutionized the market place and simply forget that the shift in regulations might have been the real driver in the increase of sales.  That happens for historic purposes as particular politicians like to directly connect the dots between what they did and what resulted leaving out some of the parallel details which transpired at the time. In doing so they are able to manipulate the "cause and effect' formula in their favor though it creates an erroneous record of the event in the history books. WB

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9. 60

   RGAldriedgeposted 13 years ago

   Because History is written by the victors and in our country that has meant the political voctors.  They tweak the history to fit their world view and to their benitfit.  One example is Rebublicans want to claim Lincoln as their figue(because he was a republcan) and so do Democrats (saying he was a liberal).

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10. 66

    Sembjposted 13 years ago

    Governments often behave like people; and I have observed that many of us find it quite convenient to re-write our own histories, as it were.

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11. 60

    zduckmanposted 13 years ago

    My humble opinion is that history is often re- written by governments in order to paint the events of the past in a more palatable light. For example was Christopher Columbus a brilliant explorer who " discovered" America...or was he a lost sailor that committed genocide?
    The book "lies my teacher told me " is an excellent example of the. As is the Peoples history of the United States by Howard Zinn

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