Forgotten (US HISTORY AP) summer assignment

hi, My brother is a junior in high school
he forgot all about his US history AP summer assignment
I have helped him do most of the questions but there's an essay that we have no idea what to write in it!

To what extent is the following statement accurate? "history is a set of lies people have agreed upon" In your essay be assure to address each of the following:
*exploration and colonial settlement.
*Events that led to the american revolution.

thanks!

 

He could write about the fact that while history may not be outright lies, it can be heavily influenced by prejudice of individuals and/or groups, such as American patriotism while documenting the American Revolution. He could find some evidence of history being changed on account of prejudice. How long does it have to be?

 

do you strictly have to use the american revolution? Because when i read it, first thing i though of was yellow journalism.

If you have to do just the revolution, you can talk about deception with the boston tea party such as how they actually lowered taxes days before it happened (if you can find info on this, they try to keep this a secret). There are many steps to the revolution that are lies/deception.

 

Had a great time in that class last year, only 10 people in it.

Anyways, you could mention:
-Was the Revolution actually a revolution, or a rebellion (revolution just sounds so much better).
-Portrayals of Indians as either bloodthirsty savages or peace-loving (the truth is somewhere in the middle, both extremes were present but not necessarily predominant).
-Some events that led up to the revolution: were the Sons of Liberty within their rights to destroy private property at the Boston Tea Party, and were other events (even ones like tarring and feathering) really justifiable or warranted? In most American history books they are, but that is only one perspective, and the winners write the history books.
-Benedict Arnold could be a good one. Before he betrayed West Point, he was one of Washington's best military commanders. He turned traitor because he felt he wasn't treated fairly by the Americans, and because of his wife's extravagant lifestyle. While these don't justify his betrayal, they are often not even mentioned.

Keep in mind that you don't have to agree with what you write, as long as you back it up.