“Ireland is the eighth continent of the world.”
“The War of 1812 was fought in 1800.”
“The Palestinians and India are on the verge of war.”
These quotes didn’t come from a group of first—graders, but from a group of college students.
As frightening as it seems, some college students have little knowledge about American history, geography and current events. This can be frustrating for a history professor like Daniel Unowsky.
“A few students still don’t know (basic historical facts),” Unowsky said, “even after I’ve taught them.”
Even more frustrating can be the myths that some students believe to be factual.
“What’s most disturbing are the myths people actually believe. For example, that the white man helped Africans by pulling them out of the jungles and introducing them to America and Christianity,” Unowsky said. “These people believe we helped Africans through slavery.”
While having a student who doesn’t know much about history, geography and current events can be disappointing and frustrating to a professor, these students often times provide a good laugh for them. History Professor Beverly G. Bond has known of a few students who made her chuckle.
“One student thought the Royal African Company sold furniture in downtown Memphis,” Professor Bond said. The Royal African Company was in fact a slave trading company.
“Another student thought slaves were allowed to have dances on the deck of slave ships,” Professor Bond added.
Professor Bond’s assistant, Vicki Peters, knew of a student who was worrying about “needing a passport to travel to Alaska.”
Do these students simply not care or are they so caught up in their own world that they don’t take notice of the world around them?
Professor Unowsky believes some students “take pride in not knowing” certain things, while Professor Bond believes some students were not “taught geography and history well enough” before they came to college.
Whatever the cause of this lack of common knowledge, these students are trying to better themselves by being a student, even if a few haven’t yet realized there are only seven continents.
