Why do some Americans know so little about Canada?

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TMLeaf Fan

People, due to a lack of knowledge, can be clueless. Failure to gain knowledge about a people, country or religion leads to inaccurate opinions. This is why people are ignorant about religions or countries. More people should take the time to gain insight and knowledge.....I am always amazed at those who think we live in igloos. Yesterday, it was 11C degrees here in Ontario, no snow since early December, yet they are still digging out of a snowstorm in Denver.

Heads up!

I am Canadian as well , it seems to be a popular belief that Americans don't know much about Canada. I bet if I asked you to name 20 US states you would not be able to. There are plenty of Canadians that don`t know about our own history let alone the US.
There is so much available for work / tourism in the US that many are not finding it necessary to look elsewhere probably. For people to better educate themselves about their neighbours would be a good thing for everyone.I personally like the American people they have always been helpful and friendly to me.

tyler

I'm a Canadian and let me tell u Americans are some of the rudest, arrogant and disrespectful people around, i just got back from the states and the surprised look on there face when you hold the door for them is unbelievable. and also if you say something like im for Toronto, or Vancouver or anywhere that is a big Canadian city they always say "o up there in Canada" like where some barren remote country full of ice.. i mean.. last year in the summer was in Florida on vacation and i was talking to an American and he said "you comin down here must be a big difference from all the snow u must be gettin to up there in canad" (and yes he said canad.. with out the a) even though it was 30C in Toronto. and yes i do know alot about Canadian history and geography and a bit about American.. now i cant name all the states (cuz there sure are alot) but i can name quite abit... and last thing... i was talking to a American and he thought john a. McDonald was the founder of McDonald's and he though Tim Horton was an elephant, he thot that the Yukon was a ice cream company and that in the province of "monkeoul" we spoke Spanish... ( PS by "monkeoul" he meant Montreal and by that the province of Quebec)....

darcy m

They know very little about any other country not just Canada

Their education system I believe is the main reason

Also, we have hundreds of newscasts feeds from the US and
gain knowledge that way. My sister lives in the States and never
hears or reads about anything to do with Canada

The Internet has cleared a few misconceptions and it is sites like
this one that helps but first they need to show interest about another place outside of their own whelm

From what I am told that will not happen anytime soon....so just ignore the ignorance and answer with intelligence

Because they just don't have to. Like here, geography is not considered an important school subject. We sound like them, we look like them, we don't rock the boat, so they assume we're really Americans. If they get it in their heads to come visit, the skimpy information they have comes from old National Geographic specials on the Arctic they saw on TV.. They might be the wealthiest, most powerful nation on Earth, but their education system sucks. If you've been in Y/A for awhile, have you noticed the bad spelling and grammar and overall ignorance of Americans as compared to Brits, Aussies, and yes, Canadians? There are American college grads who sound like grade schoolers. I've just seen an answer by an American who claimed to be a psychologist (which she misspelled) who's only knowledge of the language came from Eubonics. Heavy sigh. I've claimed to Americans that I was a farmer - I grew winter wheat and used a snow plough to work the land.

thresher

Its more amazing that people here don't know of our own
history.

countpetez

If it is not on CNN or in the tabloids it's not important..

when i went to school, i am 33 now, they emphasized math and reading skills NOT history. i, to this day, know very little about American history. i have two daughters, ages 5 and 6, and now i am into the history channel and other documentary not necessarily for me but so i can tell them when they ask. my husband is 22 years older than me, he can tell you whatever you want or need to know about history. my generation seems to have been slighted. we should know more about our neighbors. when the war in Iraq broke out, that was the first i knew of problems in other countries, especially the Arab world with the Jews. they say ignorance is bliss. ignorance is deadly.

Ken

I've wondered the same thing... until I realized how little Americans know about their own country - let alone Canada.

al b

If they all knew how great it is here, they'd all want to come up, then we wouldn't have the vast open space that we all enjoy. I've run into several Americans who know much less about their own country than I do, it has to be their education system

beemersbox

Where?

rick w

Canadians don't know anything about Canada, why should the Americans??

chocolatemeringue_04

Because unfortunately there is this climate in the US that even educating yourself on other countries is considered some sort of treason. Look at what they did to the Dixie Chicks, they were threatened with their lives. Not to mention that American's believe that they live in the best country in the world and they prefer to live in their fishbowl.
Hmm what's that phrase? Pigs don't know pigs stink. That's because they don't leave the pen, apparently they don't even look outside it.

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