History as an Interpretation

Have you ever witnessed an event and

thought something completely different than another observer?

“Old Proverb”• http://www.jainworld.com/literature/story25.

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What is your interpretation of this?

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History as an Interpretation of Events

• Since history requires humans to record, report, and share its happenings, we must always consider the different perspectives that human beings bring to the explanation of events.

History as an Interpretation of Events

• When a human is charged with the task of reporting an event what must we consider?

History as an Interpretation of Events

• How can what we know about an event change?

History as an Interpretation of Events

• Who has historically been charged with the task of recording and writing about history?

Social History

• Social history, often called the new social history, is a broad branch of history that studies the experiences of ordinary people in the past

History as an Interpretation of Events

• How would studying the “experiences of ordinary people” impact one’s study of a historical event?

Secondary vs. Primary Sources

What is a secondary source? 

• These sources are one or more steps removed from the event. These types of sources interpret or review a historical event or previous findings about it.

• Some types of secondary sources include: A history textbook or a book about the effects of WWI 

What is a primary source? • A primary source is a document or physical object

which was written or created during the time under study. These sources were present during an experience or time period and offer an inside view of a particular event.

• Primary sources include: ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS (excerpts or translations acceptable): Diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film footage, autobiographies, official records 

Examples of primary sources include:• Diary of Anne Frank - Experiences of a Jewish family during WWII • The Constitution of Canada - Canadian History 

History as an Interpretation of Events

Based on what you now know, how do we get an accurate picture of what happened during a particular historic event?