This historiographical thesis argues that juvenile American History textbooks (textbooks for children) from 1800-1850 promoted ideas of a Christian America. Through the lens of Providential History — which is a historical methodology that focuses on the role of God in human affairs — nineteenth-century textbook authors claimed that the United States was chosen by God and that United States history was an extension of biblical history. While several historians have conducted studies of textbooks from the nineteenth century, there is a lack of scholarship regarding religion in early U.S. textbooks. An approach that centers Providential History is important — and overdue — because of how central Providential History is to the way many white, conservative American Protestants think about U.S. history today. When Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, or other members of the \"Wall Builder\" school of thought advocate for \"patriotic education\", they are referring to a long tradition of providential thinking and methodology in American education. A study of nineteenth-century textbooks reveals the roots of the genre: through their use of Providential History, American History textbooks were designed to teach Christian nationalism, discourage critical thinking, and pass on white supremacy to subsequent generations. To understand the textbooks of the present, and the controversies surrounding them, one must first understand the textbooks of the past.
"},{"label":"Degree","value":["Bachelor of Arts with Departmental Honors"]},{"label":"Author-supplied Keywords","value":["Christian nationalism","American education","American history textbooks"]},{"label":"Administrative Note","value":"Drupal Node ID: 33926