Remembering George Washington: What Do Instructional Materials Teach Us about Washington's Patriotism?

Abstract

History textbooks have long been criticized for their adherence to the “stabilized national narrative” (VanSledright 1998). However, teachers need to also be aware of the ideological influences of the supplemental instructional materials they choose. A case study of the Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center at Mount Vernon illustrates this need for awareness, answering two questions: (1) Are Stephen Nathanson (2002) and Joel Westheimer's (2009) features of patriotism evident in the Education Center's account of the life of George Washington? and (2) How does the language used in the Education Center compare to the language used to describe George Washington in a sample middle school U.S. history textbook? Quantitative and qualitative analyses indicates that patriotic attitudes are overtly evident in the Education Center, as opposed to the implicit patriotism of the textbook. Findings also indicate that an authoritarian patriotism is expressed in the Education Center. Educational implications of this work are discussed.

Keywords:

• museum
• patriotism
• supplemental instructional materials
• textbook