Transcript What is History - White Plains Public Schools

History is the
lie commonly
agreed upon.
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Voltaire
History is the study of the human past.
Based on careful analysis of surviving texts
(primary and secondary documents) and
artifacts (objects made by humans), the
historian attempts to reconstruct past
events and processes which have created
the current world.
 Historiography
The principles, theory, and history of
historical writing
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Historians, through careful analysis,
attempt to reconstruct the past.
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But every historian views the world
through a cultural lens.
Therefore, an element of historical writing is
interpretative.
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Questions to consider:
 Whose perspective is voiced?
 Whose perspective is ignored?
 What sources are chosen?
 What elements are emphasized (political,
social, economic)?

Consider the historical record on Columbus
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Did Columbus
discover the
Americas or did
he accidentally
land in the
Americas?
Is the encounter
told from an
indigenous
perspective or
from a
European
perspective?
“The present informs the past. It defines the
historical questions we ask.”
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Questions:
 Explain the quotation.
 If the above statement is true, how would
this affect the curriculum of World History
AP?
The Underlying Principles of World History
History is interconnected
 Current events have historical roots
 To understand the present, the past must be
examined

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Select two historical events or topics
previously studied that impact the world
today and for each, complete the
information that follows:
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Impact on the world today:
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
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The first historical event/topic:
_____________________________
 Description of the event/topic:
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
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Impact on the world today:
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
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The second historical event/topic:
_____________________________
 Description of the event/topic:
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Reflections:
 What is “point of view” and why is it
important to consider point of view when
analyzing historical documents?

Why is it important to identify the
historian’s point of view?
Why are World Historians interested in
connections?
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
What are some of the academic interests of
World Historians?
Was Voltaire correct? Explain your answer.

Why is the study of history important?
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How does World History differ from
Medieval History?
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“Until lions have their historians, tales of the
hunt shall always glorify the hunters.”
~African Proverb
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“History is the witness that testifies to the
passing of time; it illumines reality, vitalizes
memory, provides guidance in daily life and
brings us tidings of antiquity.”
~ CICERO, Pro Publio Sestio
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Let the journey begin!
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