Prejudgements as propaganda

As we grow up we hear all sorts of prejudgements about other countries or religions. Some of them stay with us and we assume them to be true. Sometimes I wonder what the base for these prejudgements is. Are they government inspired as a sort of propaganda?

Also some prejudgements keep you wondering if they are true or not.

On ATS there are many different people from different countries and different believes. I wanted to open this thread so that we can ask eachother what is true about each others countries and believes and what is not. Also maybe we can find the source of some prejudgements.

I'd like to kick of with a question to USA citizens (largely represented here )

In the Netherlands there's this rumor, I've been hearing it ever since I was a kid. People here say that in the USA on schools kids have different world maps on which the USA is pictured bigger than it is.

I never have been brave enough to ask someone about this because I don't wish to insult USA citizens, but for this once I'll ask; is this true? Or is it a prejudgement? And if it is a prejudgement does anyone know where it comes from?

So everyone... post the questions you are dying to ask and let's see if we can come to a "cleaner" view on our world.