[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Yeah, but what use is knowing their individual names if the kids can't identify the presidents with their contributions, their crisis, understand the historical context of each American president and their eras? Names of politicians is far less important than understand the overall breadth of history. how it fits togehter, it's lessons, and being able to grasp the entire flow of these events and how we got here.

Knowing the names of politicians is pretty much useless trivia knowledge in my book unless you know the background that accompanies it, you might as well use the brain space for something else.

Well, I wasn't advocating simply being able to list them. I believe American History, which is required curriculum in every public school system I've ever been in, should teach all of what you mentioned.

I only presented it in that way in the context of the OP.