Three problems concerning the use of history texts in secondary schools can be underscored. The first is philosophical, the intended use of the history text. The philosophical underpinnings of history texts are a matter of some contention today. History and social studies texts were, for many years, viewed as a means of socializing new citizens and forging a national identity. The extent to which today's teachers see this as appropriate is unclear. The second issue is definitional, the assumed purpose of a text. The extent to which history texts are able to provide an objective, complete view of a past period is subject to question. The proper role of a history text is to provide students with the possibility of finding out for themselves about the past, and also to discover for themselves who they are in the process. The third area examined concerns issues of texts and nationalism. Canadian teachers face many dilemmas in teaching U.S. history or in using U.S. textbooks. Both U.S. and Canadian peoples need to ask themselves questions concerning the role they wish history to play in the teaching of their young people. (DB)