Do/did colleges and high schools have required state history classes?

Feb 24, 2001
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I've been out of school a decade or so now, but someone gave me a goofy look and got me to thinking.

Back in college there was a Texas history class that was required, not an elective. Just like the American history classes.

Someone was talking about some guy, can't even remember the conversation now. I remarked that I had read about him in my Texas history class. They looked at me like I was crazy, wtf would have a state history class?

I can certainly understand; Texas kicking ass and all. And I could certainly see why if I came from somewhere else what a waste a state history class would be :p

So do other states have this as a required course? Not Texas history of course...
 

nweaver

Diamond Member
Jan 21, 2001
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I think that Jr. High usually has a state history class. I know it was that way in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada anyway.
 

hdeck

Lifer
Sep 26, 2002
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jr high does the state history. i never had a state history requirement at university.
 

NiteWulf

Golden Member
Jan 3, 2003
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Originally posted by: nweaver
I think that Jr. High usually has a state history class. I know it was that way in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada anyway.
Mine in Michigan did
 

Funyuns101

Platinum Member
Jun 15, 2002
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some colleges do require you take a US history class unless you AP out of it.
if i remember correctly, VA & GA Tech had that
as for a state history... i really doubt it
 

So

Lifer
Jul 2, 2001
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Originally posted by: NiteWulf
Originally posted by: nweaver
I think that Jr. High usually has a state history class. I know it was that way in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada anyway.
Mine in Michigan did

NV did when I was in middle school.

College just had US history and a class called "Western Traditions"
 

Oil

Diamond Member
Aug 31, 2005
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I had Texas History in elementary and middle school
 

FoBoT

No Lifer
Apr 30, 2001
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fobot.com
it was required in washington state when i graduated in 1984

i believe my daughter has to take Missouri state history here in high school
 

daveshel

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
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I don't believe I ever had s atate history class per se. I grew up in PA, and we had a lot of PA history as part of American history.
 

PepePeru

Diamond Member
Jul 21, 2005
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state history in 9th grade.
in fact i won a college scholarship for 333.33 for my knowledge of state history (tied 3 ways in my county)
so, it wasnt completely worthless!
 

Xavier434

Lifer
Oct 14, 2002
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I have some vague memories of state history classes being available in junior high here in Florida. If I remember right, they were usually for the kids who were barely expected to pass HS. That may have been just my school though.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
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I went to HS in Washington state, and Washington State History was required in my freshman year. 1968...
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
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In NJ I had a state history project (as part of a state history unit that was PART of the history class) in 4th grade.

I did the same thing in PA in 8th grade.
 

Bibble

Golden Member
Feb 20, 2006
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I'm pretty sure NJ does not require a NJ state history class, at least I never took one. I've never even heard of state history classes. Looking at the state core curriculum standards, there is a section under Social Sciences called "United States & NJ History". It seems that the country's history is the main focus while some emphasis should be put on NJ, which was more or less my experience from K-12 (especially in the earlier years).
 
May 16, 2000
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Required at my high school (and most high schools actually, from what I've read). It's also required for people who want to obtain history or social studies endorsements in order to teach. Not sure if it's required for primary teachers or not.
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
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Originally posted by: daveshel
I don't believe I ever had s atate history class per se. I grew up in PA, and we had a lot of PA history as part of American history.

I grew up in PA and we didn't have one either. But I mean, a decent amount of PA's history is in the early American colonization, so you don't need a Pennsylvania history course, because you teach a decent amount of that stuff in American history.
 

OrganizedChaos

Diamond Member
Apr 21, 2002
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half a year of 'Local History and Government' was required to graduate at my high school. (class of 05)
 

txrandom

Diamond Member
Aug 15, 2004
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I had TX history in elementary and middle. You can take either 2 TX or 2 US histories at Texas A&M to complete your history core curriculum requirements.