Truth in California Textbooks ReviewNational Geographic Cengage World History: Medieval and Early Modern Times (Grade 7 CA edition) ©2018Problem: Omission of Fact (OF), Half-Truth (HT), Factual Error (FE), Slant (S), Bias (B)

Location Quote Problem Fact & SourceUnit 1, Roman, Byzantine and Islamic Civilizations, TimeLine of World Events,

630 Muhammad unites much of Arabia under Islam.

HT, B It is incorrect to teach students that Muhammad was a unifier, without learning his unification methods, e.g. violence like commanding the beheading of Jews and raiding merchant caravans, as shown here: " Over 800 surrendered men and boys (and at least one woman) from the Qurayza tribe were beheaded by the prophet of Islam in a bloodbath" , and here "Shortly after arriving in Medina in 622, Muhammad began raiding the merchant caravans traveling to and from neighboring Mecca.  He would steal their property and kill anyone who defended it (Ibn Ishaq/Hisham 424-425)."

https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/muhammad/qurayza.aspx Reviewer's suggested re-write, ""630 Muhammad conquers much of

Arabia for Islam."Unit 1, TimeLine of World Events, p.7

1453. Ottoman Turks capture Constantinople, and the Byzantine Empire comes to an end. (Suleyman I, Ottoman Ruler)

FE The incorrect placement of the Timeline Picture of Suleyman I under date 1453 makes it look as if he ruled when Turks took Constantinople. Later text clarifies the role of Mehmed II.

The incorrect placement of the Large statue of Suleyman over the date 1200 is also confusing and should be replaced with a smaller picture after 1453.

Unit 1, TimeLine of World Events, p.7

1556 Akbar the Great leads Muslim India to a golden age.

HT, B It is incorrect to call it a golden age, because from the perspective of slaughtered Hindus it was anything but golden, as quoted in the book Negationism in India: Concealing the Record of Islam (1992,) The Voice of India, by Koenraad Elst found here, http://koenraadelst.bharatvani.org/books/negaind/ch2.htm, “The Muslim conquests, down to the 16th century, were for the Hindus a pure struggle of life and death. Entire cities were burnt down and the populations massacred,..."

Reviewer's suggested re-write: "Akbar the Great conquers India for Muslims"

Unit 1, Chap 1, P 14, Box at top left, Sentence 1.

When Julius Caesar was assassinated, Romans rolled their eyes and thought, “Here we go

FE This statement is highly improper. It is flippant, inaccurate and impossible to substantiate historically.

The publisher has omitted not only any description of Caesar but also his

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again.”.

contributions to Rome. A sentence or 2 should be added to tie in with what students have learned in ancient history.

"Julius Caesar is often remembered as one of the greatest military minds in history and credited with laying the foundation for the Roman Empire." http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/julius-caesar 1996.

Unit 1, Chap 1, P 20, Col 2, Para 4, Line 2.

Philosophy is the study of reality, knowledge, and beliefs.

OF Omitted is the root of the word as the pursuit of wisdom. http://www.dictionary.com/browse/philosophy 2005. American Heritage

New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy. Also omitted is that it searches for a general understanding of values and

reality by chiefly speculative rather than observational means. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/philosophy

Unit 1, Chap 1, P 23, Col 1, Sentence 3

Roman laws are the basis of law codes around the world, including that of the United States.

FE U.S. Law is based on English Common Law which is based on Germanic law, not Roman law.

http://study.com/academy/lesson/american-law-history-origins-from- english-common-law.html

Reviewer's suggested re-write, "Roman laws are the basis of law codes around the world, but not the United States."

Unit 1, Chap 1, P.24, Col 2, Para 3, Sentence 3

Jesus’ body was buried, and then, according to the Gospel accounts, he was resurrected, or rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven.

OF,S,B Omitted is that Christians believe Jesus remained on earth for 40 days after the resurrection before ascension. (Acts 1-4, by Luke) http://www.christianbiblereference.org/story_Easter.htm

Also omitted is that Christians believe Jesus was the Messiah and part of the Trinity of God, one God in three divine persons. John 10:30 "Jesus said, 'I and the Father are one.'"

Reviewer's suggested re-write is to add the words "after 40 days" to the sentence.

Unit 1, Chap 1, p. 54, 2nd column, lines 17-20

In 1096, an army of Christian Europeans launched a series of wars called the Crusades to fight the spread of Islam.

HT, B Students need to know that Pope Urban called for the Crusades at the request of the Byzantine Emperor for specific reasons, as shown here. "Since the 6th century, Christians frequently made pilgrimages to the birthplace of their religion, but when the Seljuk Turks took control of Jerusalem, Christians were barred from the Holy City.", at this website http://www.history.co.uk/this-day-in-history/11-27/pope-urban-ii-orders-first-crusades.

Reviewer's Suggested re-write , "In 1095 at the request of the Byzantine Emperor, the pope asked Europe’s Christians to begin a Crusade to protect the Byzantine Christians and free Jerusalem from the Turks"

Unit 1, Chap 1, p. 62, 2nd column, lines 2-5

The main message was that people could achieve salvation, or go to heaven, in the afterlife only by worshipping and obeying the one true God.

HT, S It is misleading to teach students that there is a guarantee of Islamic paradise, for anyone simply for obeying the one true God. On Judgment Day only those guaranteed Paradise are those who fight with their wealth and lives, as seen below,

Q9.111 "Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their 2

properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah, so they kill and are killed."

Suggested re-write, "The main message was that people could achieve salvation, or go to heaven, in the afterlife, by submitting to the will of Allah including if necessary losing their fortunes or their lives."

Unit 1, Chap 3, P. 62, Col 2, Para 4, 1st half sentence

Muhammad and his followers were given leadership of Medina,

HT, S, B Because only the Arabs agreed to Muhammad's leadership, it is incorrect and slanted in favor of a peaceful Islam to claim that Muhammad and his followers were given leadership of Medina, when. the Jews did not, and Muhammad massacred or drove out the 4 sizable Jewish tribes. http://www.debate.org.uk/debate-topics/historical/siege-banu-qurayza/

Reviewer's suggested re-write, "Muhammad and his followers gained leadership of Medina by both treaty and military conquest."

Unit 1, Chap 3, p. 62, 2nd column, last two lines

Muhammad had proved himself a great religious, political, and military leader.

HT, S It is the author's opinion that Muhammad was great and this statement is slanted to teach that he was, when conquered peoples may have felt otherwise.

Reviewer's suggested re-write, “Muslims believe that Muhammad was a great religious, political, and military leader.”

Unit 1, Chap 3, p. 64, column 1, lines 7-8

According to the Qur’an, God is the creator and is merciful and compassionate.

HT, B It is incorrect and slanted to state only one side of the Qur'an's God, because the Qur'an also states that Muhammad and believing Muslims should be ruthless with disbelievers but merciful with each other. It also tells Muslims to kill unbelievers.

This is shown in Q48:29, "Muhammad (SAW) is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are severe against disbelievers, and merciful among themselves." and in Q2: 191-3, "“Kill them [unbelievers] wherever you find them… And fight them until there is no more unbelief and worship is for Allah alone.”

Reviewer's suggested re-write, "According to the Quran, God is the creator. At times he is merciful and compassionate, while other times he is violent and shows no mercy towards the unbelievers."

Unit 1, Chap 3, p. 64, 1st column, lines 13-14

For example, the Qur’an promotes charity and forbids gambling and drinking alcohol.

HT, B This sentence is misleading and slanted because it doesn't tell about the Qur'an's call for warfare in Allah's cause, as shown in Q9:5, " And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush."

Reviewer's suggested re-write, "Although parts of the Qur'an promote charity and forbids gambling and drinking alcohol, it also calls for warfare in Allah's cause."

Unit 1, Chap 3, P.64, Col 2, Para 2, Sentence 1

Together, the Qur'an and the Sunna form the basis of Islamic law, which is called Sharia.

OF Omitted is that today Sharia also depends on fiqh, or schools of Islamic law based on subsequent critical thinking and agreement by jurists from the middle ages.

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http://sumayya.tripod.com/jurisprudence2.htm Source Methodology in Islamic Jurisprudence, (The Usul of Islamic Fiqh) by Al Alwani, International Institute of Islamic Thought, Herndon, VA, 2016

Unit 1, Chap 3, p. 64, 2nd column, “Everyday Practices,” lines 4-7

For example, Muslims avoid eating certain meats and eat meat only from animals that are killed in a humane way.

FE, B It is an error to say that animals are killed humanely because the Halal requirement that the animal bleed out causes pain for several minutes, as is shown in this article by Coghlan, Andy (13 October 2009). "Animals feel the pain of religious slaughter". New Scientist ” , "The team first cut calves’ throats in a procedure matching that of Jewish and Muslim slaughter methods. They detected a pain signal lasting for up to 2 minutes after the incision."

Reviewer's suggested re-write, "For example, Muslims avoid eating certain meats and believe slaughtering without first stunning the animal to prevent pain is humane."

Unit 1, Chap 3, P. 64, Col 2, last sentence under Everyday Practices

Mosques also serve as centers of education and social work.

HT, S, B Mosques are currently also weapons depositories and the statement as written is biased in favor of showing mosques as institutions of peace. See below about a police raid in a London suburb in 2003.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1419533/Police-seize-weapons- in-mosque-raid.html Also in Tunisia. "Apparently mosque leaders didn’t think it incompatible with the teachings of their religion to store weapons in a mosque in not one, not two, not five, not ten, but forty mosques in Tunisia. July 2015, Robert Spencer. https://www.jihadwatch.org/2015/07/tunisia-police-find-weapons-in-40-mosques

Reviewer's suggested re-write: "Mosques also serve as centers of education and social work, although weapons are also stored in some of them."

Unit 1, Chap 3, P. 65, Graphic of Five Pillars of Islam, number 3

Alms Donate a portion of one's wealth to help people in need.

HT, S, B The publisher is remiss in not telling students that in Islam there are different types of alms (Zakat) and not just alms (charity) for people in need. Zakat includes funding warfare. This omission presents Islam in a slanted and biased way as seen in this quote from Islamic law:

"THOSE FIGHTING FOR ALLAH h8.17, The seventh category is those fighting for Allah, meaning people engaged in Islamic military operations for whom no salary has been allotted in the army roster (O: but who are volunteers for jihad without remuneration)." Reliance of the Traveler, a Classic Manual of Sacred Islamic Law. P. 272, h8.17. Amana Publications, Beltsville, MD Definitive English translation 1991, and subsequent revisions

Unit 1, Chap 3. P. 67, Documents One, Two, Three

Document One: Qur'an 49:13Document Two: Qur'an 5:54Document Three: Sahih Al-

S, B The documents have been chosen to show only a peaceful side of Islam. The students need to have documents which also give them the concepts of warfare to spread religion, jizya taxation, or enmity of Muslims toward

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Bukhari, 6018 Christians and Jews. Some examples follow. Q4:95 "Not equal are those believers remaining [at home] - other than the

disabled - and the mujahideen, [who strive and fight] in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives. Allah has preferred the mujahideen through their wealth and their lives over those who remain [behind], by degrees." https://quran.com/

Q5:51 "O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.  https://quran.com/

Unit 1, Chap 3, P 69, Col 2, Para 3, 1st Sentence

The Qur’an forbade the conquering caliphs from forcing their new non-Muslim subjects to convert to Islam.

HT, S, B It is remiss to overlook that the victorious caliphs also gave them a choice of converting, or dying, or paying a heavy tax (jizya) under humbling conditions, as seen in Q9:29, "Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the Scripture - [fight] until they give the jizyah willingly while they are humbled." https://quran.com/9/29-39

Reviewer's Suggested re-write, "The Qur'an told the conquering caliphs to tell their new non-Muslim subjects to choose between converting, paying a heavy tax or dying."

Unit 1, Chap 3, P.69, Col 2, Para 3, 2nd Sentence

Instead of being persecuted, or mistreated, as they had been under Byzantine and Persian rule, Jews, Christians, and those of other faiths were allowed to follow their own religious customs with some restrictions.

HT, S, B The publisher’s terminology "some restrictions" is incorrect because it hides the severity of the restrictions and leads the students to believe that Jews and Christians lived in basic although limited freedom. In addition to paying the heavy jizya under humiliating conditions the people of other faiths are "distinguished from Muslims in dress; must keep to the side of the street; may not build higher than or as high as the Muslims' buildings; are forbidden to openly display wine or pork (A. to ring church bells or display crosses with only limited restrictions.) recite the Torah or Evangel aloud, or make public display of their funerals or feastdays; and are forbidden to build new churches." Reliance of the Traveler op.cit. p.608, o11.5

Unit 1, Chap 3, P.69, Col 2, Para 3, Last Sentence

Other people converted for practical reasons of social, political, and economic gain.

HT, S, B It is remiss not to say that they also converted out of fear, as is seen in Sharia: "When a subject's agreement [to pay tax and abide by the above rules] with the state has been violated, the caliph chooses between the four alternatives mentioned above in connect with prisoners of war (09.14). Reliance of the Traveler op.cit p.609, o11.11 Reviewer's note: the term "above rules" refers to the rules stated below.

The treatment of prisoners of war: o9.14 "When an adult male is taken captive, the caliph (def.0.25) considers the interests (O: of Islam and the Muslims) and decides between the prisoner's death, slavery, release without paying anything, or ransoming himself in exchange for money or for a

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Muslim captive held by the enemy. Reliance of the Traveler op.cit p.604, 09.14

Reviewer's suggested re-write, "Other people converted for practical reasons of social, political, and economic gain, and also out of fear."

Unit 1, Chap 3, P.73,Col 3, Sentence 2

In Cordoba Christians, Jews, and Muslims lived together under a government that practiced religious tolerance, or sympathy for the beliefs and practices of others.

FE, S, B This statement is factually incorrect. While there was some religious tolerance in Muslim Spain, heavy persecution was dominant, as is shown in these 2 references: 1) "Far from promoting peace and religious tolerance, Muslim rulers maintained their power for centuries through brute force." From the book by Fernandez-Morera [Northwestern University scholar] in which he documents the many ways in which Islamic rule led to religious and cultural repression - including the subjugation of Spain's Christian population." Above is from book review by Amazon.com at https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Andalusian-Paradise-Christians-Medieval/dp/1610170954 of the book The Myth of the Andalusian Paradise: Muslims, Christians, and Jews under Islamic Rule in Medieval Spain. Dario Fernandez-Morera. February 22, 2016

Reference 2), In the time of Muslim Spain respected Muslim philosopher Ibn Khaldun also said that conversion to Islam by force was a necessity if persuasion didn't work. "January 1, 1336, Ibn Khaldun himself: "in the Muslim community, the holy war is a religious duty, because of the universalism of the Muslim mission and (the obligation to) convert everybody to Islam either by persuasion or by force.", quoted below , https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/quotes/ibn-khaldun-on-holy-war-as-religious-duty

Reviewer's Suggested re-write: "Christians, Jews, and Muslims lived together under a government that limited religious tolerance, or sympathy for the beliefs and practices of others, and enforced heavy restrictions on non-Muslims.

p. 76, 2nd column, “Daily Life,” lines 3-7

One reason for its long life was its religious tolerance, which helped reduce internal conflict. Jews and Christians enjoyed religious and cultural freedom in return for paying a tax and being loyal to the state.

HT, S,B This statement is factually inaccurate and biased. Jews and Christians living under the status of dhimmitude did not “enjoy” religious and cultural freedom. They lived under difficult restrictions, all of which limited their freedom.

The Ottoman Empire applied the dictates of the Qur’an and sunnah to People of the Book, just as did other caliphates.

Only through the pact of the dhimmi, or protected person, could Jews and Christians remain Jews and Christians.

From an Islamic perspective, this may appear tolerant. From any other perspective, this is anything but. It is like arguing that the Jim Crow laws of the 20th century South were tolerant towards blacks.Source: Ye’or, Bat. 2013. Understanding Dhimmitude. RVP Press.

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Unit 1, Chap 3, P.77,Sentence starting in Col 3 and ending in Col 4

To form the janissary corps, the government took young boys from non-Muslim villages, educated them, and trained them to fight for the sultan.

HT, B It is historically inaccurate not to teach that the boys were enslaved as tribute and never saw their families again.

“In a system of human tribute the boys were enslaved from the dhimmi communities of the Ottoman Empire, and either sold or converted to Islam and trained as to serve Janissaries in the Sultan’s arm, as read in Mark Drurie, The Third Choice. Page iv, Deror Publications. 2011

Unit 1, Chap 3, P.80, Para 1 under Science and Astronomy, Sentence 2

The vast extent of these [Muslim] empires and their religious tolerance allowed for a unique blending of culture.

HT, S Per all of the above references to religious intolerance, Reviewer's suggested re-write of this sentence is, "The vast extent of these empires and their intermittent religious tolerance allowed for a unique blending of culture."

p. 107, 1st column, lines 8-10

The slave trade increased dramatically when Muslim traders arrived in North Africa in the 600s.

HT, OF The African slave trade increased dramatically when Muslim traders arrived because Islam (a) allows for enslavement of non-Muslims and (b) discriminates against blacks.

Sources on slavery in Islam: Qur’an 33:50, 23:5-6, 4:24, 8:69, 24:32, 2:178, 16:75; ibn Naqib al-Misri, Ahmad, 1991, Reliance of the Traveler, Amana, p. 604 o9.13

Reviewer's suggested re-write, "The slave trade increased dramatically when Muslim traders arrived in North Africa in the 600s because the Qur'an allows enslavement of non-Muslims and Blacks..

Unit 2, African Civilizations, Chap 4, P.112, Map on right side of page

West African Empires, 500 B.C. - A.D. 1500

OF The map lacks dates of the Empires and also lacks locations of the all-important gold and salt.

Unit 3, American Civilizations, Chap 6, P.157, Col 2, Sentence 3

In return the Maya sometimes offered their own blood or made human sacrifices to honor the gods.

OF The statement needs to be augmented by adding mention of the brutality of the Maya.

"The Maya did cut the hearts out of their victims, as can be seen in certain images surviving at the Piedras Negras historical site. However, it was much more common for them to decapitate or disembowel their sacrificial victims, or else tie them up and push them down the stone stairs of their temples." Source for quote is this book: https://www.thoughtco.com/the-ancient-maya-and-human-sacrifice-2136173 Christopher Minster, "The Ancient Maya and Human Sacrifice". August, 2016.

World Religions Handbook, P.WR3, Islam, Col 2, Sentences 3 and 4

Muslims do this by practicing the Five Pillars of Islam. These are professing faith, praying five times a day, giving to charity, fasting, and making a journey to Mecca.

HT, B It is remiss not to teach students that one kind of Zakat or charity funds warfare to establish religion, as is shown in this quote from currently used Islamic law: "THOSE FIGHTING FOR ALLAH h8.17, The seventh category is those fighting for Allah, meaning people engaged in Islamic military operations for whom no salary has been allotted in the army roster (O: but who are volunteers for jihad without remuneration)." as seen below,

Reliance of the Traveler, a Classic Manual of Sacred Islamic Law. P. 272, h8.17. Amana Publications, Beltsville, MD Definitive English translation

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1991, and subsequent revisions Reviewer’s suggested re-write of Sentence 4: These are professing faith,

praying five times a day, giving to charity including pay for mujahidun not enrolled in the army roster, fasting, and making a journey to Mecca.

World Religions Handbook, P.WR3, Islam, Col 3, last sentence

Today, Islam continues to spread around the world through migration and conversion.

HT, B It is historically inaccurate to omit that today it still spreads by warfare to establish religion. The omission leads the student to an incorrect assumption. Definition of this kind of warfare which is called jihad is found here: "o9.O JIHAD Jihad means to war against non-Muslims, and is etymologically derived from the word mujahada, signifying warfare to establish the religion." , as found in this book, Reliance of the Traveler, a Classic Manual of Sacred Islamic Law. Po9O, Amana Publications, Beltsville, MD Definitive English translation 1991, and subsequent revisions

Here is more evidence of today's spread by warfare. Al Azhar, the highest seat of Sunni learning, published an offensive jihad definition on Jan 2011, by Mufti 'Imad Mustafa, Prof of Fiqh at al-Azhar University, the highest seat of Sunni learning. "However there can be no disagreement that offensive jihad is not totally prohibited, for two schools [of Islamic jurisprudence] have ruled that offensive jihad is permissible in order to secure Islam's border, to extend God's religion to people in cases where the governments do not allow it," http://ibloga.blogspot.com/2011/01/islam-online-offensive-jihad-is.html

Reviewer's suggested re-write for this sentence is, "Today, Islam continues to spread around the world through migration, conversion and military conquest."

Economics and Government Handbook, page EG2, Col 1, Last sentence

In a free enterprise system, producers are motivated by self-interest.

HT, S, B It is misleading to define only self-interest as the motivation of producers. This statement appears to be the opinion of the author.

It gives the impression that producers are selfish people concerned only with their own wealth. It omits that they are free to choose their own lives and take risks in the pursuit of happiness, as seen in this comment, " free enterprise fosters self-reliance, motivation, dignity and happiness. It inspires people to tap their potential to do more, be more, and provide for themselves and their families." by Steve Van Andel, Amway and U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in Denver Post, July 2013. http://www.denverpost.com/2013/07/12/can-free-enterprise-boost-the-economy-yes/

Economics and Government Handbook, page EG4, Col 4, Para 2, Sentence

The United States is a representative democracy in which people elect fellow citizens to serve in a legislature and pass

FE The US is a Constitutional Republic in which citizen voting for representatives is only one element. The overriding fact is that under The Constitution the minority has certain protections from the wishes of the majority.

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2 laws. "... To be sure, in addition to being a representative democracy, the United States is also a constitutional democracy, in which courts restrain in some measure the democratic will. And the United States is therefore also a constitutional republic. May 13, 2015. Eugene Volokh, quoted here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2015/05/13/is-the-united-states-of-america-a-republic-or-a-democracy/

Ch. 10, pp. 274-279, map p. 275

Red River (p. 274)Nam Viet (p. 274)Champa (p. 274)Chenla (p. 276)Funan (p. 276)Angkor (p. 276)

OF These locations, mentioned in the text pp. 274-276, should be marked on the map on page 275.

Chapter 11, Lesson 2.4, p. 312, left column, Title

“Battle of Palestine” FE, S,B Using the word “Palestine” is a Factual Error because it makes students think Arabs controlled that property during all the ages, when in fact it was the Romans who called it Palastinia. The reviewer suggests the following rewrite: “Battle to Retake the Holy Land.”

“After the failed rebellion of Bar Kokhba in the Second Century CE, the Roman Emperor Hadrian determined to wipe out the identity of Israel-Judah-Judea. Therefore, he took the name Palastina and imposed it on all the Land of Israel.”

http://emetnews.org/analysis/palestine-history.phpChapter 11, Lesson 2.4, p. 312, right column, 2nd paragraph

“By 1291, the Muslims had taken control of Palestine.”

FE/S Same argument as above. The reviewer suggests the following rewrite: “By 1291, the Muslims had taken control of much of the region known as Palestine.”

Ch. 11, Lesson 2.5, p. 315, left column, 2nd line

“Some Christians believed the Jews had caused the plague by poisoning town wells.”

OF/HT Although there were many Christians that blamed the Jews for the Bubonic plague, that was not the position of the Church.

The reviewer suggests the following rewrite: “Although the Church did not blame the Jews for the plague, many Christians thought it was punishment for allowing Jews to live as Jews in their midst. Other Christians believed the Jews had caused the plague by poisoning town wells.”

“After a short while, there arose a new idea among the European Christian masses why the Black Death was ravaging their land: because they allowed the Jews to live in their midst as Jews. This reason became widely accepted.” http://www.jewishhistory.org/the-black-death/

http://www.simpletoremember.com/articles/a/the_black_death/Ch. 12, Lesson 1.1, p. 324, left column, bottom paragraph, 1st sentence

“The new movement that began in the 1300s was called Renaissance humanism. Renaissance humanists stressed living a Christian life but also

OF To avoid confusion, Renaissance humanism should be contrasted with modern (atheistic or secular) humanism. The reviewer suggests the following rewrite: “The new movement that began in the 1300s was called humanism, which should be distinguished from modern secular humanism – an atheistic philosophy.”

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sought to explore a new understanding of the individual in relation to God.”

https://www.thoughtco.com/renaissance-humanism-p2-1221781 Humanism: “[1. Renaissance] The revival of classical letters, individualistic

and critical spirit, and emphasis on secular concerns characteristic of the Renaissance. [2. Modern] A philosophy that usually rejects supernaturalism and stresses an individual’s dignity and worth and capacity for self-realization through reason.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humanism

Ch. 12, Section 1.1 p. 324, middle column, 1st

paragraph

“Scholars in the Muslim empires had obtained and preserved many classical writings.”

HT, OF The text omits that classical writings came from many sources in addition to Muslim empires. The reviewer suggests the following rewrite: “The movement originated in Italy with scholars studying the early Greek and Roman classical writings which were gathered from Muslim Empires, Christian Constantinople as well as from libraries and monasteries in Europe.”

https://www.thoughtco.com/causes-of-the-renaissance-1221930 “From the mid-1300s and into the 1400s a few scholars in one of the most

urbanized areas of Europe, in Italy, were searching through libraries and recovering works in Latin by ancient writers such as Cicero, Livy and Seneca. People there saw daily the remains of ancient Roman structures around them and they were looking to understand what the ancients thought.... With the conquest of Constantinople by Islamic Turks in 1453, a wave of Christian scholars fled to Italy, and they brought with them manuscripts concerning ancient Greece, many of which had fallen into obscurity in the West.” http://www.fsmitha.com/h3/renaissance.htm

Ch. 12, less. 1.1, p. 356, right column, top paragraph, last sentence

“A theory is a proposed explanation for a set of facts.”

OF The definition is incomplete. A scientific theory is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon in nature. Information that is thought to be “fact” can change over time as new discoveries are made. The reviewer suggests the following rewrite: “A theory is a proposed explanation for a set of facts or phenomena. Theories may be modified or replaced over time based on new evidence.”

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/theory Theory: “A set of statements or principles devised to explain a group of

facts or phenomena, especially one that has been repeatedly tested or is widely accepted and can be used to make predictions about natural phenomena.” https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=theoryhttps://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=theory

Chapter 13, lesson 1.1, p. 356, right column, last paragraph

Muslim scholars also made significant advances in astronomy. They developed special buildings called

FE/S This paragraph needs to be removed from the chapter. The first sentence can remain ONLY if the publisher is able to give correct examples.

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observatories for studying the stars.

Ch. 13, p. 361, Figure at top of page, right column

“Step Three: Experiment. The scientist designs and conducts an experiment to test the hypothesis.”

HT Scientific inquiry involves experimentation and/or observation. The reviewer suggests the following rewrite: “The scientist designs and conducts experiments and/or makes observations to test the hypothesis.”

Scientific method: “Principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scientific%20method

https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-scientific-method-604647 Ch. 13, less. 1.3, pp. 360-361, right column, last paragraph

“In this school of thought, observation, experimentation, and mathematical reasoning replaced ancient wisdom and church teachings as the source of scientific knowledge.”

HT, S This gives an incorrect impression that science and religion were in opposition during the late Middle Ages and Renaissance. In fact, Christian thought had a strong positive influence on the scientific revolution and on most early scientists. The reviewer suggests using “supplemented” instead of “replaced,” and adding a sentence: “Most early scientists were Christians who based their ideas about science on a Biblical worldview.”

“It is the Christian world which finally gave birth in a clear, articulate fashion, to the experimental method of science itself.” Nancy Pearcey and Charles Thaxton, The Soul of Science, 1994, pp. xii, 18.

“Many factors contributed to the scientific revolution, but it was most fundamentally a continuation and outgrowth of medieval institutions (the universities) and of the Christianized classical scientific tradition of the Middle Ages.”

http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-76/17.44.htmlCh. 13, less. 2.5, p. 371, right column

“However, the effect of the Columbian Exchange on native populations in the Americas was disastrous.”

HT, S This needs clarification. Does the “disastrous” effect refer just to European diseases, or were there other factors as well? The reviewer suggests the following rewrite: “However, the effect of the Columbian Exchange on native American populations was disastrous due to infectious diseases introduced by Europeans.”

Ch. 13, less 2.1, p. 388 “Representatives of the 13 American colonies approved the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This document, written by Thomas Jefferson, drew on the Enlightenment ideas of John Locke and the ideas in the Magna Carta.”

HT, OF It is important to state the strong influence of Biblical faith on the American Founding. The reviewer suggests the following addition: “As a whole the American Founders were strongly religious. The Declaration stated that rulers had a contract with their subjects to protect the people’s natural rights given to them by their Creator.”

“As a whole, the Founders were strongly religious.... [The] Founders recognized general moral precepts that are understandable by human reason and no less agreeable to faith in the form of a general revelation of creation. This morality, common to both natural reason and divine revelation, usually termed ‘natural law’ or natural theology, is the philosophical ground of the

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American Founding.” Matthew Spalding, We Still Hold These Truths, 2009, pp. 14, 58.

Ch. 13, p. 394 Video Chat: “Trafalgar was the greatest sea battle ever fought.”

OF The Video Chat should state the significance of the Battle of Trafalgar. The reviewer suggests the following rewrite: “Trafalgar was a battle of the British Navy against the combined French and Spanish fleet during the Napoleonic Wars and was the greatest sea battle ever fought.”

“In one of the most decisive naval battles in history, a British fleet under Admiral Lord Nelson defeats a combined French and Spanish fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar, fought off the coast of Spain.... Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar ensured that Napoleon would never invade Britain.” http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-trafalgar

Glossary, p. R3 “humanism. n. A movement that focused n the importance of the individual.”

HT The definition in the Glossary refers to Renaissance humanism, but modern secular humanism is different. The definition should be “Renaissance humanism.”

Glossary, p. R3 “icon. n. an image of Jesus or a saint.”

HT An icon can represent something other than Jesus or a saint. The reviewer suggests the following rewrite: “icon: n. an image of some sacred person, such as Jesus or a saint.”

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/icon?s=tGlossary, p. R4 “missionary. n. a person who

goes to another country to do religious work; a person who tries to spread Christianity to others.”

HT A missionary could be of any faith, not just a Christian. The reviewer suggests the following rewrite: “missionary. n. a person who goes to another country to do religious, evangelical or charitable work.”

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/missionary?s=tGlossary, p. R5 “scientific method. n. a logical

procedure for developing and testing ideas.”

HT The definition given is too simple and non-specific. The reviewer suggests the following rewrite: “scientific method. n. A logical procedure for scientific inquiry that involves the formation and testing of hypotheses (possible explanations) using experimentation and/or observation.”

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scientific%20method https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-scientific-method-604647

Glossary, p. R5 “theory. n. a proposed explanation for a set of facts.”

HT See the item above regarding “theory” (p. 356). The reviewer suggests the following rewrite: “A theory is a proposed explanation for a set of facts or phenomena. Theories may be modified or replaced over time based on new evidence.”

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Evaluation of Social Studies Skills and other important issuesAn evaluation of the teaching & learning devices and/or materials provided to the student.

Number Questions Yes No1 Is the appropriate vocabulary relevant to the subject matter presented

to students?For example, on comparative government are terms such as monarchy, oligarchy, democracy, socialism, fascism, and communism presented?

y

2 Are the captions under pictures factual? y

3 Are the charts and graphs relevant to the topic being presented? y

4 Are the maps accurate and relevant to the topic? y

5 Are questions thought provoking? Is adequate accurate material provided so that the students can formulate appropriate answers?

n

6 Are primary and secondary sources presented for students to examine (for bias, propaganda, point of view, and frame of reference)?*

n

7 Does the text present a lesson on how to evaluate the validity of a source based on language, corroboration with other sources, and information about the author? *

n

8 Does the textbook have a Glossary? Are key terms and personalities included and defined?

limited and imperfect

9 Does the textbook have accurate timelines to help the student understand chronological historical developments?

limited and imperfect

10 Does the textbook have an Index which includes all of the key words, historical time periods and individuals?

n

11 Does the textbook devote a similar number of pages to each of the world religions, philosophies, political and religious leaders?

y

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Commendations:1. Pictures, maps and timelines, in general, do a nice job complimenting the text.2. The straight narrative of events is very good and clear.3. Excellent photography4. Lessons are printable for students who own printers.

Concerns:1. The omnipresent bias in favor of Islam as a religion of peace hides entirely from the students the degree of violence in its ideology, history and

law. The book is unacceptable for this reason alone without re-write of those sections. Re-write is easy by adding some qualifying phrases to the sentences and paragraphs which ignore violence. Suggestions for these are in the Reviewer's Critique in this report.

2. The word "jihad" is not mentioned anywhere in the text and should be, given its use in the media today and in Sharia. 3. Readers can't go back and forth between lessons and non-adjacent pages without clicking through each one or going to the main menu for more

clicking. Very time consuming. Unless this difficulty is fixed, the book should be printed.4. Glossary is limited and useless, not easily accessed, no clickability from it to text or from text to it.5. When text says "see the map in Chapter Review" it's impossible to get to it by clicking on that sentence, or return to the text with one click.6. The textbook contains several incomplete definitions of terms and events and doesn’t include references to back the statements.

Evaluations based on templateChoices Explanations Yes No

1 This text has minor changes that need to be made

2 This text has a moderate number of changes X

3 This text has substantial changes that need to be made

4 This book is so flawed that it is not recommended for adoption.

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