The actual text of the bill stating what they want us to teach...
"(D) A school district, starting in the sixth grade and continuing through the twelfth grade, annually shall provide instruction in United States foundational history, as defined in this subsection, for a minimum of thirty hours of classroom instruction. This annual instruction in United States foundational history must be divided into four sections with each section consisting of no less than five hours of classroom instruction time, allocated as follows:
(1) The first section shall examine both the events leading up to the War for Independence and its causes and include, but not be limited to, the French and Indian War; the life of young George Washington, including the Native American legend of his divine protection; American resistance to increased British regulation and taxation; debates between colonists and the British government about the authority of Parliament to make laws for and impose taxes on the colonists; the military occupation of Boston and the Boston Massacre, including Crispus Attucks, the Boston Tea Party, the Intolerable Acts, and the preparation of the colonists for armed conflict; Patrick Henry's 'Liberty or Death' speech; and the Continental Congress;
(2) The second section shall examine the War for Independence including, but not limited to, the Battles of Lexington and Concord; the Siege of Boston and the Battle of Bunker Hill; the defense of Fort Sullivan, including the importance of Carolina Day; the loss of New York City; the victories at Trenton and Princeton; the victory at Saratoga; the training and reorganization of the army at Valley Forge; the French alliance; the Battle of Monmouth; successful American resistance to British efforts to crush the Revolution in the South, including the sieges of Savannah and Charleston, Battle of Camden, Battle of King's Mountain, the campaign of Francis Marion, contributions of African American soldiers, the Yorktown campaign, the disbanding of the Continental Army, the Treaty of Peace, and Washington's resignation;
(3) The third section shall examine America's political philosophy including, but not limited to, the influence of John Locke on the founders; the concept of God-given rights; Thomas Jefferson and the drafting of the Declaration of Independence; Thomas Paine's 'Common Sense'; the arguments for and against independence in Congress; the vote on independence; the creation of American republics, including the nature of republics, the idea of sovereignty and the sovereignty of the people, the first state constitutions, and the Articles of Confederation as a cooperative compact between independent republics; the implementation of republican ideals in law, including the protection of natural and civil rights, exemplified by the Virginia Bill of Rights, the emergence of antislavery sentiment, exemplified by the Pennsylvania Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery, the spread of religious liberty, exemplified by the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom, and expanded opportunities for personal independence through land ownership, exemplified by the Northwest Ordinance; the framing and implementation of the United States Constitution, including Shays' Rebellion, the problem of the public debt, the Federal Convention, the ratification of the United States Constitution, including the debates between the Federalists and the Antifederalists, the inauguration of George Washington, adoption of the Bill of Rights, including the philosophical underpinnings of each amendment as expressed by the founders and George Washington's Farewell Address; and
(4) The fourth section shall examine the legacy of the American Revolution. The aim of this section is to ensure that students understand how the ideals of the American Revolution have shaped American life for nearly two hundred and fifty years. This section is not a substitute for instruction on American national history, but instead provides a framework for understanding the enduring and pervasive influence of the Revolution. The topics covered shall include the Revolution and American national identity, embodied in shared national history, symbols, and common heroes, as well as the relationship of the Revolution and its ideals to expanding political participation, the abolition of slavery, and the campaign for women's rights, including the Seneca Falls Convention, passage of the thirteenth and nineteenth amendments and Dr. Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech. This section also shall distinguish between American self-government and communism, including the philosophical differences on the right to free speech, the right to bear arms and the right to religious expression and private property. America's fight against communism also shall be studied within the context of key foreign policy events such as the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall, the Tiananmen Square protests, and America's relationship with Taiwan. The broad purpose of this subsection is to ensure that students understand the enduring influence of the American Revolution in U.S. history including its foreign policy.
(E) Each year, prior to the Thanksgiving holiday, all public schools shall read the original account of the first Thanksgiving feast as recorded by pilgrim Edward Winslow. In grades six through twelve, students also shall read and discuss the Thanksgiving proclamations of President George Washington and President Abraham Lincoln, alternating annually between each proclamation."
