The study of history

Renewing my blog about studying history

2010-03-05T10:43:00.000-08:00

I want to let everyone know I am revamping my blog.

It will include at least 3-4 posts per week plus weekly "It happened in history this week".

I will also be reviewing/reading history books.

History..........

2010-03-05T09:53:00.000-08:00

History really is the telling of stories. Every type of history allows people to tell stories about the past. There is a wide variety of ways to tell stories but also the types of history such as military, economic, social, political, art, women's or gender, crime, among others.

So how do we tell the stories of history?

Where do we start?

A few things to consider:
1. What type of stories do you want to tell? Who's stories? For ex. the stories about WWII would vary depending on who's stories we discuss. A soldier would have a different perspective then a general in the army, to a family left in canada while one of it's son's is over in Europe in the war.
2. Location (where is the stories coming from) For ex. stories from Canada would be different then those from England or France during WWII.
3. Where are we getting these stories (source of material)
4. How we discuss the material?
5. What questions are we going to answer? Which answers are we looking for?
6. Our own values, morals, interpretations.
7. Type of history being studied. Look at WWII again, a military history would be very different then political or economic.

Examples of events/topics

2010-02-03T07:25:00.000-08:00

Examples of events/topics:

1. Let's look at the recent horrific natural disaster in Haiti.
How do we study/look at/ or even compare natural disasters.
Haiti was a very poor nation even prior to this event.
Let's contrast that to the Hurricane Katrina which also devestated New Orleans within the United States. The United States is in contrast to Haiti, has a significant amount of money and resources to aid in recovery. However, that being said 5 years after the Hurricane and there are many areas that have not recovered.
So how will a nation like Haiti be able to recover and in what sort of timeline?

How do we study and look at the idea of natural disasters? I think this could be a fascinating topic within historic study. Look at various areas within it- economic impacts, spiritual/religious impacts, personal- housing, other infastructure, ability to rebuild, the role of ordinary people as well as the government, people moving away and whether they return, population rates, school rates, jobs are all areas that could be discussed in detail for various natural disasters. You can also compare it within various nations to see if there are cultural and national impacts, not to mention similarities or differences that also arise.

Then look at it from a historical point of view------ look at it over different time periods (you can make allowances for inflation of money).

Another important example to look at is the economic issues (recession). These topic can also be looked at in various levels (global, national, state level, or even smaller such as cities or rural areas). Look at various measures such as population growth and movement, foreclosure and bankrupcy rates over a period of time, job rates, education rates, banks, look at companies, stocks and different commodities. There are so many indicators as well as areas that can be studied and measured to get indicators of the state of the economy.

But also look at it from a historical frame of mind. We have seen recessions and we have also seen the ups and downs of the economy over time. Look at how we have recovered in the past and also look at past recessions. Compare the current recession with past recessions.

Also think of questions such as:

1. How will this event be looked or studied in the future (1 year, 5 years, 10 years or even longer)?

2. Look at comparisons (what can we compare it with)?

3. Similarities and differences

4. Where does this event line up on a timeline?

5. Importance (try rating events on a scale such 1-easily forgotten to 5-remains in memories forever)

6. Impact on society? How big of a deal is the event in the long run? Not just on society but on the people involved and those watching the event from around the world.

We can also look at media coverage of events. For example, look at the articles and pictures used both in magazines, newspapers, tv coverage, internet coverage etc. of the earthquake in Haiti.
What is the impact/role of what we are exposed to? Are the stories positive or negative?
What do you think about or feel when you see a certain picture or read a story?

Media play's an important role in how we are exposed to worldly events.

How do we showcase present events as being history?

2010-02-03T07:17:00.000-08:00

How can we discuss present events as the basis for the history?

When does an event count as history? For example, an event happened yesterday, does that mean it now equals history?

We need to figure out how present, past, and the future all interact with each other. The dynamic of these 3 words should not be isolated from each other. Events do not take place in a vacuum (they are all related to each other).

We have a few topics right now that we can look at as basis for history. These events will be seen as history. We can also compare these events to other historical events.

Apologizing for a long absence

2010-02-03T07:10:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone who has been reading my blog, I had to take alittle bit of a break because of health issues. I apologize. I really want to get my blog back up and running.

So where should I go next?

There are so many ideas swimming around my head concerning the topic of history which is a real passion in my life.

The history behind Friday the 13th

2009-11-13T10:08:00.000-08:00

Firstly, I want to begin this post by saying I apologize for having abandoned this blog for a couple weeks. I haven't felt very inspired to write but I seem to have a couple of ideas that have struck me recently.

I want to discuss today the history behind the idea of Friday the 13th.

In 2009- Friday the 13th has occurred three times: February, March, and November.

The phobia started in 1911, became mainstream in 1953. Phobia of three's.

According to folklorists, there is no written evidence of the superstition prior to the 19th century.

For example, look at the concept of numerology- the number "12" is the number of completeness- 12 months, 12 signs of zodiac, 12 hours of the clock, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 Apostles of Jesus, 12 gods of Olympus among others. Whereas, in contrast, 13 is irregular and transgressing this completeness.

Friday's have been seen as unlucky since the 14th century Cantebury Tales.

Why are people especially children scared by the idea of studying history?

2009-10-13T10:55:00.000-07:00

We hear it all the time....."I don't want to take a history class" or "History scares me".

I even had the same mind set as a child. I avoided history until university when it was a recommended course for my bachelor's degree. I ended up taking the course, loved it and in the process found my real passion. This teacher was able to bring history alive and made it interesting. I can't imagine not studying history and not loving history now, but what would of happenned if I had never taken that first class.

So why are people especially students or kids scared of history?
- some fear all the names and dates
- some fear having to memorize it all
- tedious
- boring
- stupid
- worthless
- when will I ever use it?
- watered down
- too general

So instead, we must bring history alive. It goes beyond a textbook, you must live history.

Original sources- primary and secondary sources
Pictures, maps, and many other visuals
Become immersed in a subject- live and breathe it
Find a topic that interests them
Look at themes and topics not just general history
For example, wouldn't you rather look at religion in history in Canada vs. just Canadian history

How current is current? When is an event considered history?

2009-10-13T10:46:00.000-07:00

If you were to look at a current event, how current is current? When does it move from current in to the realm of history?

Let's define the idea of current: current means occurring in or belonging to the present time.
History is defined as a description of past events.

These two seemingly different terms "current" and "history" really are not as far apart as many of us would like to think. These two terms run parallel to each other. Yesterday's current event is now today's history.

For example, an article written about a event (we could take any event- For example, the recent awarding of the Noble Peace Prize to President of the United States, Obama) can now be seen as historical or history because it happened last week. Its no longer current, although it can be seen as recent.

When looking at event, what can we consider?

2009-10-13T10:28:00.000-07:00

First, lets ask the right questions:

who was involved (directly/indirectly)
what happened?
when did it happen?
where did it happen?
why did it happen?
how did it happen?

The last two are most often the most difficult to answer. We must try to get ourselves into the event or into the person's mindset (so to speak).

How do we think about...... about a more current event ---- If someone looks on this event in 50 or even 100 years, how would they see it?

Sometimes we must try to seperate emotion from recent events and look events more objectively.

How we study and look at history?

2009-10-08T12:21:00.000-07:00

The idea of history is all about the lense or point of view you look at an event.

For example, if you look at the history of unions (look at it from the point of view of the worker vs. the union vs. the boss and then its effect on other unions and groups of workers).

History is all about context.
Its all about smaller events and where they fit on a timeline.
We must also look at the bigger picture (for example, the role of religion over time in a given location, the political situation over time)
Consequences of a given event - what happenned later/after?
Cause and effect
Similarities and differences to over events?
Parallels to other events
Compare and contrast
Events do not take place in a vacuum (by themselves/isolated)
Every event influences other events

What is history?

2009-10-07T11:56:00.000-07:00

How can we define these terms to help make history more approachable and understandable.

History: a record or narrative description of past events, the discipline that records and interprets past events involving human beings, the continuum of events occurring in succession leading from the past to the present and even into the future, all that is remembered of the past as preserved in writing. (from the dictionary)

But lets be serious and consider it again.....what is history?
Is it just the past? A series of the past, present, and future? Each of the prior items mentioned.

What can we learn from the past?

Its not just about the past....but also what is written and studied about the past.

I mean if it is the past, how can we remember it. Yes, there is people who were alive and remember 50 years ago but not 500 years ago. We need some sort of records of information (sources which can vary).

A few quotations to start

2009-10-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. History is who we are and why we are the way we are. David C. McCullough

No harm's done to history by making it something someone would want to read.
David McCullough

We learn from history that we learn nothing from history.
George Bernard Shaw

Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
George Santayana

What we do about history matters. The often repeated saying that those who forget the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them has a lot of truth in it. But what are 'the lessons of history'? The very attempt at definition furnishes ground for new conflicts. History is not a recipe book; past events are never replicated in the present in quite the same way. Historical events are infinitely variable and their interpretations are a constantly shifting process. There are no certainties to be found in the past.
Gerda Lerner

We can learn from history how past generations thought and acted, how they responded to the demands of their time and how they solved their problems. We can learn by analogy, not by example, for our circumstances will always be different than theirs were. The main thing history can teach us is that human actions have consequences and that certain choices, once made, cannot be undone. They foreclose the possibility of making other choices and thus they determine future events.
Gerda Lerner