how can you think like a historian? discussion “not to know what happened before one was born is...
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How can you think How can you think like a Historian? like a Historian?
DiscussionDiscussion““Not to know what happened before one Not to know what happened before one
was born is always to be a child.”was born is always to be a child.” Cicero 100 B.C.Cicero 100 B.C.
How do Historians Reconstruct How do Historians Reconstruct the Past?the Past?
What do they do?What do they do?
Why study history?Why study history? History serves as a History serves as a
bank of examples for bank of examples for contemplating present contemplating present problems.problems.
What tools do they What tools do they use?use?
Why Study HistoryWhy Study History““The study of history is the best The study of history is the best
medicine for a sick mind; for in medicine for a sick mind; for in history you have a record of history you have a record of the infinite variety of human the infinite variety of human experience plainly set out for experience plainly set out for all to see; and in that record all to see; and in that record you can find yourself and your you can find yourself and your country both examples and country both examples and warnings; fine things to take as warnings; fine things to take as models, base things rotten models, base things rotten through and through, to avoid.“through and through, to avoid.“
Livy Livy
Why Study History?Why Study History?““Time in its irresistible and Time in its irresistible and
ceaseless flow carries along on ceaseless flow carries along on its flood all created things and its flood all created things and drowns them in the depths of drowns them in the depths of obscurity. . . . But the tale of obscurity. . . . But the tale of history forms a very strong history forms a very strong bulwark against the stream of bulwark against the stream of time, and checks in some time, and checks in some measure its irresistible flow, so measure its irresistible flow, so that, of all things done in it, as that, of all things done in it, as many as history has taken over it many as history has taken over it secures and binds together, and secures and binds together, and does not allow them to slip away does not allow them to slip away into the abyss of oblivion."into the abyss of oblivion."
Anna CommenaAnna Commena
Why Study History?Why Study History?
““What is past is What is past is prologue.”prologue.”
William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare
Why Study HistoryWhy Study History
““Life must be lived Life must be lived forward, but forward, but understood understood backward.”backward.”
KierkegaardKierkegaard
Why Study History?Why Study History?
““Die Weltgeschichte Die Weltgeschichte ist das ist das Weltgericht.” Weltgericht.” (World history is (World history is the world’s court the world’s court of judgement.)of judgement.)
Friedrich von SchillerFriedrich von Schiller
Why Study History?Why Study History?
““The function off the The function off the historian is neither to historian is neither to love the past nor to love the past nor to emancipate himself emancipate himself from the past, but to from the past, but to master and understand master and understand it as the key to the it as the key to the understanding of the understanding of the present." present."
E.H. CarrE.H. Carr
Historians use the following tools to Historians use the following tools to investigate and reconstruct the past.investigate and reconstruct the past.
1.1. Historical ImaginationHistorical Imagination
2.2. Multicultural Multicultural Perspective Perspective
3.3. Point of ViewPoint of View
4.4. Compare and ContrastCompare and Contrast
5.5. Cause and EffectCause and Effect
6.6. Analyzing Analyzing
7.7. Distinguishing Fact Distinguishing Fact FromFrom
Opinion Opinion
8.8. EvaluatingEvaluating
9.9. Political HistoryPolitical History
10.10. Social HistorySocial History
11.11. Military HistoryMilitary History
12.12. Comparative HistoryComparative History
13.13. Economic HistoryEconomic History
14.14. InterpretationInterpretation
15.15. Bias/SubjectivityBias/Subjectivity
16.16. EvidenceEvidence
17.17. Primary SourcePrimary Source
18.18. ArtifactArtifact
19.19. ContextContext
20.20. Objective; Objective; ObjectivityObjectivity
21.21. HistoriographyHistoriography
22.22. Frame of Frame of ReferenceReference
23.23. CredibilityCredibility
Why Study HistoryWhy Study History
““There are human truths to be derived from history, There are human truths to be derived from history, and truths well worth the telling, some large, some and truths well worth the telling, some large, some small, some general, some technical. Some, if not small, some general, some technical. Some, if not the most important, of the problems which face the most important, of the problems which face society today are not new ones; there are society today are not new ones; there are similarities and analogies in the past. Any process similarities and analogies in the past. Any process which increases man’s awareness of himself, that which increases man’s awareness of himself, that strengthens his chance of controling himself and his strengthens his chance of controling himself and his environment, is well worth pursuing…The purpose environment, is well worth pursuing…The purpose of historical investigation is to produce answers, in of historical investigation is to produce answers, in the form of concepts and generalizations to the the form of concepts and generalizations to the fundamental problems of historical change in the fundamental problems of historical change in the social activities of men.”social activities of men.”
J.H. PlumbJ.H. Plumb
Why Study History?Why Study History?
““To give an accurate To give an accurate description of what description of what has never occurred has never occurred is not merely the is not merely the proper occupation proper occupation of the historian, but of the historian, but the inalienable the inalienable privilege of any privilege of any man of parts and man of parts and culture.”culture.”
Oscar WildeOscar Wilde
Why Study History?Why Study History?“…“…what happened in what happened in
the past influences the past influences what happens in the what happens in the present, and, indeed, present, and, indeed, what will happen in what will happen in the future, so that the future, so that knowledge of the knowledge of the past – history – is past – history – is essential to society.”essential to society.”
Arthur MarwickArthur Marwick
Why Study HistoryWhy Study History““By enabling us to know about other By enabling us to know about other
centuries and other cultures, it provides, centuries and other cultures, it provides, along with the collections housed in our along with the collections housed in our great museums and galleries, the best great museums and galleries, the best antidote to the temporal parochialism antidote to the temporal parochialism which assumes that the only time is now, which assumes that the only time is now, and the geographical parochialism which and the geographical parochialism which assumes that the only place is here. assumes that the only place is here. There is not only here and now; there is There is not only here and now; there is there; and there is then. And the best there; and there is then. And the best guide to there and then, and thus also guide to there and then, and thus also the best guide to here and now, is the best guide to here and now, is history: in part because it helps us history: in part because it helps us understand how our world got to be the understand how our world got to be the way it is; in part because it helps us way it is; in part because it helps us understand how other worlds got to be understand how other worlds got to be the way they were -- and the way they the way they were -- and the way they are. “are. “
David CannadineDavid Cannadine
Why Study History?Why Study History?
““If you do not like If you do not like the past, change the past, change it.”it.”
William L. BurtonWilliam L. Burton
Why Study History?Why Study History?
““History will be kind History will be kind to me for I intend to me for I intend to write it.”to write it.”
Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill
Why Study History?Why Study History?““The value of history is, The value of history is,
indeed, not scientific but indeed, not scientific but moral: by liberalizing the moral: by liberalizing the mind, by deepening the mind, by deepening the sympathies, by fortifying sympathies, by fortifying the will, it enables us to the will, it enables us to control, not society, but control, not society, but ourselves -- a much ourselves -- a much more important thing; it more important thing; it prepares us to live more prepares us to live more humanely in the present humanely in the present and to meet rather than and to meet rather than to foretell the future.“to foretell the future.“
Carl BeckerCarl Becker
Why Study HistoryWhy Study History
““One reason why history One reason why history rarely repeats itself rarely repeats itself among historically among historically conscious people is conscious people is that the that the dramatis dramatis personaepersonae are aware are aware at the second at the second performance of the performance of the denouementdenouement of the of the first, and their action first, and their action is affected by that is affected by that knowledge.”knowledge.”
Edward Hallett CarrEdward Hallett Carr
Why Study HistoryWhy Study History"Historical knowledge enables us "Historical knowledge enables us
to place our perceptions of the to place our perceptions of the contemporary world into a contemporary world into a meaningful context and to meaningful context and to discern the cause-and-effect discern the cause-and-effect relationships between events relationships between events that serve as the basis for that serve as the basis for future expectations. Without future expectations. Without such knowledge we would be such knowledge we would be as bewildered as a quarterback as bewildered as a quarterback entering the fourth quarter of a entering the fourth quarter of a football game without knowing football game without knowing the score, the amount of the score, the amount of elapsed time, or the successes elapsed time, or the successes and failures of plays and and failures of plays and players.“players.“
Allan J. Lichtman and Valerie FrenchAllan J. Lichtman and Valerie French
Why Study History?Why Study History?““People are always shouting People are always shouting
they want to create a they want to create a better future. It's not true. better future. It's not true. The future is an apathetic The future is an apathetic void of no interest to void of no interest to anyone. The past is full of anyone. The past is full of life, eager to irritate us, life, eager to irritate us, provoke and insult us, provoke and insult us, tempt us to destroy or tempt us to destroy or repaint it. The only reason repaint it. The only reason people want to be people want to be masters of the future is to masters of the future is to change the past."change the past."
Milan KunderaMilan Kundera
Define As Many of these as possible.Define As Many of these as possible.
1.1. Historical ImaginationHistorical Imagination
2.2. Multicultural Multicultural Perspective Perspective
3.3. Point of ViewPoint of View
4.4. Compare and ContrastCompare and Contrast
5.5. Cause and EffectCause and Effect
6.6. Analyzing Analyzing
7.7. Distinguishing Fact Distinguishing Fact FromFrom
8.8. Opinion: EvaluatingOpinion: Evaluating
9.9. Political HistoryPolitical History
10.10. Social HistorySocial History
11.11. Military HistoryMilitary History
12.12. Comparative HistoryComparative History
13.13. Economic HistoryEconomic History
14.14. InterpretationInterpretation
15.15. Bias/SubjectivityBias/Subjectivity
16.16. EvidenceEvidence
17.17. Primary SourcePrimary Source
18.18. ArtifactArtifact
19.19. ContextContext
20.20. Objective; Objective; ObjectivityObjectivity
21.21. HistoriographyHistoriography
22.22. Frame of Frame of ReferenceReference
23.23. CredibilityCredibility
One Pager One Pager TERM: Definition of term across the top of
page (write neatly)
Create a visual depiction of the term. This can be a diagram, image, chart,
graph, or symbols
In your own words write a brief explanation of how this term may be useful for students of history.
Think like a Historian, Look Think like a Historian, Look for: for:
the author’s intention.the author’s intention. biasbias evidenceevidence argumentargument sourcessources Context of the period the document Context of the period the document
was writtenwas written
Contextual Thinking:Contextual Thinking:Context of a document or event offers Context of a document or event offers
clues that help understanding.clues that help understanding. When, Where, How?When, Where, How? What proceeded?What proceeded? What followed? What followed? Why the document or event took placeWhy the document or event took place Who wrote or said itWho wrote or said it To whom was it written?To whom was it written? What purpose?What purpose? What intent?What intent? What Consequence?What Consequence?
A.C.A.P.S. is a great A.C.A.P.S. is a great strategy.strategy.
To understand documents and the To understand documents and the meaning they hold, analyse them meaning they hold, analyse them according to this method:according to this method:
AuthorAuthor ContextContext AudienceAudience PurposePurpose SignificanceSignificance
How about a S.P.R.I.T.E.?How about a S.P.R.I.T.E.?
S.S. SocialSocial P. PoliticalP. Political R. ReligiousR. Religious I. IntellectualI. Intellectual T. TechnologicalT. Technological E. EconomicE. Economic
Questions students should ask Questions students should ask themselves:themselves:
How is the past different than today? How is the past different than today?
What is the significance of this event, What is the significance of this event, person, place, or document…?person, place, or document…?
What can the modern generation What can the modern generation learn from the past?learn from the past?
Kids need toKids need to
Read aloudRead aloud and think aloud through and think aloud through the Historical Process.the Historical Process.
Think about people, places, and Think about people, places, and events in the past through the eyes events in the past through the eyes of someone living in the past.of someone living in the past.
balance present minded thinking balance present minded thinking with thinking in the past with thinking in the past
Make connections and draw Make connections and draw conclusions.conclusions.
““Just the Facts”?Just the Facts”?
Facts by themselves are Facts by themselves are meaningless.meaningless.
Facts are only important when we Facts are only important when we give them meaning.give them meaning.
Skilled Readers of HistorySkilled Readers of History
Talk to themselves as they read- Talk to themselves as they read- The conversation ranges: The conversation ranges: Meaning of the text Meaning of the text Author’s purpose, message, and Author’s purpose, message, and
personality/background- personality/background- Think about why the author says Think about why the author says
what he says and what he means by what he says and what he means by saying it.saying it.
Contextual ThinkingContextual Thinking
or thinking about events through the or thinking about events through the perspective of the period it unfolded.perspective of the period it unfolded.
Context of an event or Context of an event or document includes:document includes:
When, Where, HowWhen, Where, How What proceeded?What proceeded? What followed?What followed? Why the document or event took placeWhy the document or event took place Who wrote or said itWho wrote or said it To whom was it written or said To whom was it written or said What purposeWhat purpose What intentWhat intent What consequence What consequence
Students of History Need Students of History Need to:to:
Talk to each otherTalk to each other Write essaysWrite essays Discuss the significance of topics they Discuss the significance of topics they
studystudy DebateDebate Get into the mind of the people who lived Get into the mind of the people who lived
history!history! Search for cause and motiveSearch for cause and motive Investigate- values, perspectives, Investigate- values, perspectives, Students need to embrace beliefs not their Students need to embrace beliefs not their
own and argue them with zest.own and argue them with zest.
Read and make notes on Read and make notes on the journal articlethe journal article
Should a historian cross reference Should a historian cross reference the past? the past?
What dangers might they find?What dangers might they find? What would the different traditions in What would the different traditions in
chapter 1 of history and historians chapter 1 of history and historians make of this article?make of this article?
What is your viewWhat is your view