The Overthrow of Hawaii and How We Should Study History

History should never be boring. It was only after school that I discovered how much I like it, but talking to my two boys and seeing what they study in school, I understand why a lot of people grow up disliking it. What would it be like if we could learn through stories instead?

This video from TedEd about the Overthrow of Hawaii offers an example. Instead of textbooks filled with dates, this engaging five minute video offers insight into the history of Hawaii, the truth about how it reluctantly became part of the United States and tells the heroic story of Queen Lili’uokalani, a leader that American History has largely forgotten.

Alongside this type of curated story, the other way we learn about the past is through modern explorers. There is also the story of former magazine editor Tara Roberts, who is now working with National Geographic to document the wreckage of slave ships. Her efforts may help to address what genealogists call the "1870 brick wall," a reference to the fact that many African-Americans cannot trace their ancestry back beyond that date because before that the US Census "did not count the identifying details of those who were enslaved."

Both of these stories are perfect examples of what we need more of in history courses ... and in our discussions about the past as well.