Like others, I try to teach my daughter the information beyond what they teach in school. On a visit to New York City several years ago, I explained that New York because such a big city for several reasons, but the reasons were economic dependent upon transportation. It has a great Harbor, and the Erie Canal was built and in the first half of the 19th century the Erie Canal was a huge economic driver of the growth of the nation. Transportation history is very interesting to us, but often gets the very short shift in education because most teachers want to teach political history. IMHO "It's the Economy, stupid." And transportation of good and people are a major driver of economic growth which is the basis of all other history.
But what do I know.