Québec (Canada) High School History Program

I have a Bachelor in Education (Secondary, History and Geography). I will answer your question as my understanding is that American history means USA history.

In High School (wich has five years in Québec, going from Secondary 1 to Secondary 5), we have three separates history courses. 1) Secondary 1 & 2: Western Civilization, from sedentarization to the civil rights movements. 2) Secondary 3 & 4: History of Québec and Canada, from the first Indigenous peoples to today. 3) Contemporary history and other optional courses (including 20th century).

1. The first time we talk about the USA is in the Roman chapter. After each chapter, we draw parallels with today. As the focus of the chapter is Romanization, the parallel with today is Americanization. But, it is not a huge part of the chapter and is more a conclusion. Usually, this part is more anti imperialist and somewhat antiamerican. The students and I usually work on antiamerican music.

In this block, we have a chapter on colonization. We do not focus too much on New France, as this is covered by later classes. As such, we see the colonization of the Thirteen Colonies, but it is more focused on economic concepts and consequences of colonization than a particular colony.

We also have a chapter on Revolutions. Teachers have the choice between the American or the French Revolutions. The chapter focused on the consequences of those revolutions on fundamental rights. We look at the situation at events, like the overall situation in 1776, the Bill of Rights, the Boston Tea Party, the Declaration of Independance, etc. We also see the Elightenment, with some philosophers, like Locke, and some concepts like freedom. After that, we teach the Revolution itself, its people, its consequences, its values, etc.

The next chapter whee we can see the USA is in the last one. It is on civil rights movements and the teachers have the coice between Feminism, Black liberation movements in the USA and South Africa, and decolonization of Africa and Asia. When we teach the second subject, we teach actors (like MLK), causes, consequences, repression, actions, etc.

So, in Secondary 1 and 2, students may learn about the USA, but it depends on the teachers.

2. In Secondary 3 & 4, the focus is on Québec. As such, we mainly talk about the USA when it influences us (Revolution, War of 1812, Patriots of 1836-37, Cold War, etc.)

3. The only mandatory course in Secondary 5 related to Social Sciences is Contemporary World. The chapters are divided by concepts (like Environment, Economy or Population). We talk a lot about the USA, as it is the dominant power, and some subject, like Population, go well with the news. Population touches subject like immigration and refugees, so what is happening in our Southern neighbours with Donald Trump is pretty on spot.

Other courses, like 20th Century, are optionnal. Obviously, when we enter the Cold War, we talk a lot about the USA.

Overall, I would say that the foci on American history in Québec are the following: Imperialism, Civil Rights and how the USA influenced our history. I would also say that the program does not have an explicit pro or antiamerican point of view. It depends on the teacher and the class.

As for how much students know about the USA before the courses, it goes with the news, the trends and what their parents talk about. The presidents seem to have a huge impact. Students used to talk a lot about Obama, in a positive way, and now they talk a lot about Trump, in a negative way. In fact, it seems like the only thing they know about the USA, apart from culture, is Trump. And guns. And racism. But they don't know a lot from the past.