Historical Thinking Concepts

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Historical Thinking Concepts

Primary Sources

Definition Primary sources often offer the most reliable information about history. Examples of primary sources include anything that is directly from the time period of interest, such as a journal entry, newspaper clipping, an article of clothing, or an object. These sources are examined in the context of when they were created, allowing historians to gain a deeper understanding of the time period.

Personal Example I have been journaling for around five years. I have multiple diaries in which I've written my about my life, my thoughts, dreams, hopes, troubles, and feelings. They are a record of exactly how I was feeling at certain specific moments in my life, and if anyone were to look back on them decades from now, they will be able to get much insight into the time period.

Historical Example Anne Frank's diary is a perfect example of a primary source. For over a year and a half, teenaged Anne detailed what her life was like living in hiding from Nazi occupied Amsterdam. She wrote about how she felt about living in the secret annex, the Nazi regime, and the Second World War. Her diary has provided historians with extensive information about what life was like for people living in hiding from Nazis.

Historical Perspective

Definition To take historical perspective is to recognize the social zeitgeist and the cultural and intellectual circumstances of a certain time that influenced the way people lived and how they acted. It is necessary to be conscious of the dissimilarities between the present and the past and to have a degree of empathy towards the people who lived in the past in order to understand people's motivations, intentions, and behaviour.

Personal Example My grandmother is always the one who makes the food for her and my grandfather. Both of them grew up in South Korea in the 1940s, and lived with the expectations for women to know how to cook and to feed the men who had jobs. This is the way they still act now because that is what they learned.

Historical Example Until fairly recently, women were not permitted in the workplace for most occupations. The expectation was that women should stay at home as housewives, taking care of chores and looking after children. The reason that this was the standard was because of the idea that men are the breadwinners and women were incapable of doing "real" money-making work.

Ethical Dimensions

Definition The ethical dimensions of history allows historians to learn from the past, and asks: in order to acknowledge and consider historical crimes, what responsibilities do we have in the present? There is a paradox that emerges when making ethical judgements about the past, since historians must take historical perspective to understand the ethical standards of societies past, while also refraining from viewing objectively inhuman treatment as "neutral."

Personal Example Personally, I feel an immense responsibility to take care of the Earth and be environmentally conscious. This is because of how much I have learned about how people treated the planet in the past, polluting it to the point where it is severely endangering people, animals, and ecosystems. I now know that the way people acted in such ignorance in the past was not okay, and things must change.

Historical Example In 2008, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada was created. Its purpose was to hear the stories of survivors, their family members and communities, and anyone else who was affected by the Canadian residential school system. The TRC would share that knowledge with Canadians to work towards acknowledging and reconciling with the reality of how horribly Indigenous peoples in Canada were treated by the Canadian government.

Continuity & Change

Definition Continuity and change refers to how things have changed or remained the same from the way they were in the past. To assess whether or not something has changed, and by how much, comparisons are drawn between the present and the past, or two points of time in the past. Typically, change is evaluated with the concepts of progress and decline.

Personal Example For 10 years, I was in a French Immersion program. I stopped taking french courses in school in Grade 10. This was a big change for me in terms of my learning, since now all of my classes are in English. I no longer read as many French texts, nor do I speak the language as much.

Historical Example Attitudes toward gay marriage have shifted majorly in the last few decades. Most countries in Europe and the Americas have legalized same-sex marriage, (the Netherlands became the first country to legalize gay marriage in 2001), but in many countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, people can still be prosecuted for being in a same-sex relationship.

Cause & Concequence

Definition Cause and consequence refers to the how and why an event occured. Investigating cause and consequence involves examining people's actions and ideologies, as well as the institutions and conditions of the time that influenced said actions and ideologies. The central question is: what circumstances, beliefs, and actions resulted in what consequences?

Personal Example In 2022 I joined the school's yearbook committee. Becoming a member of the club resulted in me gaining confidence, becoming much more involved with the school, and eventually earning the role of co-lead editor. I am now an integral member of the club, and very much enjoy my time running it and putting the yearbook together.

Historical Example The 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki effectively ended the Second World War and drastically changed warfare and geopolitical relations forever. The dramatic display of power and force and complete destruction of the two cities led to Japan's surrender, ending WWII. The atomic bomb was the most devastating weapon of war ever used, and since its first use changed the game for artillery used in war.

Historical Significance

Definition A person, place, or event is historically significant if it is notable enough to be remembered. This can be determined in many ways. For instance, an event could have had a significant effect on many people, or a long-lasting impact. Or, perhaps a contemporary historian is simply interested in it, which is also a valid reason for something to be historically significant.

Personal Example In the summer of 2022, I visited South Korea for the first time since being a baby. This trip was a tremendously formative experience for me, since I am half Korean. I was able to learn about my culture, meet family members for the first time, eat amazing food, and see incredible things. My perspective and understanding about my Korean heritage evolved.

Historical Example In 1969, NASA's Project Apollo was successful in landing on the moon. This declared the United States as having won the Space Race against the Soviet Union, but was an incredible feat for all of humankind. For the first time in history, a human walked on the moon, and from this we were able to learn much more about the moon, our world, and outer space.