Transcript Time and the historian - White Plains Public Schools

Tools of the Historian:
Assessing time in world
history( changes and
continuities)
Chronology-the study of time
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Various historians break-down or compartmentalize history in a variety of
ways. Important technologies, events, people, places or developments (
turning points) provide a perspective about when a period, epoch or era
should begin and end. Like geography, chronology can be an important tool
to view perspective (POV)
Political
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Major Dynastic rule (Chinese Mandates of Heaven, ruling families
Rise and fall of empires (and Emperors)
Presidencies
Dominant powers of the time ( this is disputed by historians based
on varying degrees of evidence)
• Cycles of political revolutions ( usually identifying a change)
• Events ( 9-11, Pearl Harbor, Sacking of Rome, Conquest of the
Americas)
Time is measured by key economic
technologies which define the times
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Stone Age (paleo and Neolithic)
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Industrial Age
Nuclear Age
Commodities like drinks :” A History of the World in Six Glasses” by Tom Standage
• These technologies signify a turning point
in how things are done.
Culture
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Christian Gregorian calendar ( originally B.C and A.D for before Christ and Anno
Domini in Jesus’ life)
Jewish and Muslim calendars are lunar as are Chinese calendars
Mayas developed the most accurate calendar based on their astronomical
observations.
Eras of peace and prosperity and are often called Golden Ages of Pax( Romana,
Sinica, Islam, Mongolica)
Time is tricky
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Regardless of how history is broken down, it signifies that great changes come about
by these cycles. These changes are debated by historians as to the impacts and
whether they garner mention or merit. As a historian, you will be asked to not just
evaluate periodization to determine changes but also evaluate continuities ( what
remains the same and why)
Think of your own life since you were born.
What has changed (Think S.P.I.C.E)? What has
Remained the same? (Why?)
To date events
• Before the birth of Christ or B.C., historians count
backward from the year 1.
• After the birth of Christ or A.D., historians count
forward starting at the year 1.
• THERE IS NO YEAR 0!!!
• World History has replaced this with B.C.E and
C.E to reflect less cultural bias for before and
during the common era
Theses
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The study of time is problematic for historians because of the differentiated way to
break chunks of time down politically through the dominant empires and politically
entities which clearly defined these eras, economically through the technologies
which were utilized by those societies who thrived and culturally by the hegemonic
religions which guided people’s worldview whether linearly or cyclically.
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Chronology troubles world historians as there is no universal manner to encapsulate
time by , rather, view it politically to break down important events which served as
turning point ( wars, attacks, fall), economically by the dominant commodities traded
and networks of distribution, and cultural framework for looking at the religions who
provided a framework for living.
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Time allows the student to view the historical narrative through a political view
through the cyclical ebbs and flows like Chinese dynasties, historiographically looking
at commodities like beverages who altered human development and cosmologically
by viewing the developments as they unfolded in the universe starting with the Big
Bang and narrowing it down into the present.