Criticizes the way history is presented in current textbooks, and suggests a fresh and more accurate approach to teaching American history.

"A Touchstone book." "Completely revised ad updated"--P. [1] of cover.

Introduction: Something has gone very wrong --Handicapped by history: the process of hero-making -- 1493: the true importance of Christopher Columbus -- Truth about the first Thanksgiving -- Red eyes -- "Gone with the wind": the invisibility of racism in American history textbooks -- John Brown and Abraham Lincoln: the invisibility of antiracism in American history textbooks -- Land of opportunity -- Watching big brother: what textbooks teach about the federal government -- See no evil: choosing not to look at the War in Vietnam -- Down the memory hole: the disappearance of the recent past -- Progress is our most important product -- Why is history taught like this? -- What is the result of teaching history like this? -- Afterword: The future lies ahead--and what to do about them.