IV

107TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 451

Recognizing the importance of teaching United States history in elementary

and secondary schools, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JULY 25, 2002

Mr. KIND (for himself and Mr. OSBORNE) submitted the following concurrent

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the

Workforce

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Recognizing the importance of teaching United States history

in elementary and secondary schools, and for other purposes.

Whereas gaining a sense of history is a gradual and cumulative process, and history education should therefore

begin at the early stages of a student’s classroom experience and continue to develop throughout a student’s entire educational career;

Whereas when students study United States history they become familiar with the development and expansion of the

country, which enables them to better understand the

present relationship between the United States and other

countries and to anticipate future international interaction;
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•HCON 451 IH

Whereas when students have a foundation of basic United

States history they can better understand their roles as

citizens of the United States and as a part of the global

community;

Whereas the National Assessment of Educational Progress

(NAEP) United States History Assessment of 2001

found that 6 out of 10 of senior high school students in

the United States lack even a basic knowledge of United

States history;

Whereas out of 29,000 students represented in this NAEP

study, only 29 percent of 12th graders knew that the

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gave President Lyndon B.

Johnson authority to expand the Vietnam War and only

57 percent of 4th graders knew that one major cause of

the Civil War was the split between the North and South

over slavery;

Whereas in 1999, the United States placed 6th in the International Civic Education (CivEd) Study, a study of 27

countries sponsored by The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) designed to tap the civic knowledge and skills of 14-year-olds and their attitudes toward

democracy and citizenship;

Whereas according to the CivEd study, 12 percent of students in the United States reported never or hardly ever

studying history in school, and the majority of 9th graders typically spent less than one hour per week doing history homework; and

Whereas according to the Center for Survey Research and

Analysis, fewer than half of the seniors surveyed at top

universities across the United States can identify crucial

events in United States history: Now, therefore, be it
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•HCON 451 IH

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That the Congress—

3 (1) recognizes the importance of teaching

4 United States history in elementary and secondary

5 schools;

6 (2) expresses concern regarding the lack of

7 basic understanding of United States history among

8 students of all levels in the United States; and

9 (3) strongly supports efforts to promote the

10 value of education in United States history and to

11 ensure that students in the United States graduate

12 from high school with a significant understanding of

13 United States history.

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