How to Succeed in HIST300. Read the syllabus and refer to it regularlyRead the syllabus and refer to...

How to Succeed in How to Succeed in HIST300HIST300

How to Succeed in HIST300 How to Succeed in HIST300

• Read the syllabus and refer to it regularlyRead the syllabus and refer to it regularly• Use a planner to stay organizedUse a planner to stay organized• Check your email daily and bookmark the Check your email daily and bookmark the

course websitecourse website• Be respectful towards othersBe respectful towards others• Come to class prepared and bring the Come to class prepared and bring the

readings!readings!• Take responsibility for your educationTake responsibility for your education

What Is the Historian’s What Is the Historian’s Craft?Craft?

24 August 201124 August 2011

Dr. Kristen EppsDr. Kristen Epps

Part I: What does it mean Part I: What does it mean to be a historian?to be a historian?

Part II: How do historians Part II: How do historians think?think?

Marc Bloch, Marc Bloch, 1886-1944 1886-1944

The The Historian’s Historian’s

CraftCraft

1)1) What is history? What is history?

1)1) What makes the study of the past a What makes the study of the past a profession?profession?

“ “What is the use of history, when the What is the use of history, when the values of the past are being values of the past are being ruthlessly discarded? What is the ruthlessly discarded? What is the use of history, when we repeat our use of history, when we repeat our old errors over and over again?”old errors over and over again?”

Marc Marc BlochBloch


1)1) What makes the study of the past a What makes the study of the past a profession?profession?

“ “Even if we are sure that history has Even if we are sure that history has its uses, are we able to write the kind its uses, are we able to write the kind of history that can be used?” of history that can be used?”

Marc BlochMarc Bloch

What What IsIs the Historian’s the Historian’s Craft?Craft?

• Asking provocative questionsAsking provocative questions• Being objective about your conclusionsBeing objective about your conclusions• Using primary sourcesUsing primary sources• Understanding cause and effectUnderstanding cause and effect• Studying the “why” not just the “who,” Studying the “why” not just the “who,”

“what,” “where,” and “when”“what,” “where,” and “when”• Producing written work to present your Producing written work to present your

conclusionsconclusions• Making it useableMaking it useable• Passing it on to future generationsPassing it on to future generations

Part II: Part II: How do How do

historians historians think?think?

Your Identity as a HistorianYour Identity as a Historian

• Geographic areaGeographic area

Definition of Atlantic HistoryDefinition of Atlantic History

It is “based on the notion that the It is “based on the notion that the Americas, Africa, and Europe have Americas, Africa, and Europe have composed a ‘regional system’ from the composed a ‘regional system’ from the late fifteenth century to the present….. It late fifteenth century to the present….. It offers rich opportunities for comparative offers rich opportunities for comparative history of its subregions, focusing on a history of its subregions, focusing on a host of issues, from economic structures host of issues, from economic structures to state formation, to political discourses to state formation, to political discourses and institutions, to the complex relations, and institutions, to the complex relations, identities, and practices of class, race, and identities, and practices of class, race, and gender.” gender.”

Michael Jiménez and Marcus RedikerMichael Jiménez and Marcus Rediker

The Atlantic World in 1720The Atlantic World in 1720



• Time periodTime period



• Time periodTime period

• ApproachApproach

Historical ApproachesHistorical Approaches

• Social historySocial history• Political historyPolitical history• Economic historyEconomic history• Intellectual history Intellectual history • Religious historyReligious history• Environmental historyEnvironmental history• History of an ethnicity/race (e.g. Latino/Latina History of an ethnicity/race (e.g. Latino/Latina

history)history)• Women’s historyWomen’s history• Legal historyLegal history• Military historyMilitary history• Labor historyLabor history

What is Social History?What is Social History?

1)1) ““History with the politics left out” or History with the politics left out” or “history from below”“history from below”



2) Deals with everyday people2) Deals with everyday people




3)3) The study of people’s behavior, belief The study of people’s behavior, belief systems, socio-economic structures, systems, socio-economic structures, popular culture, etc….popular culture, etc….




3)3) The study of people’s behavior, belief The study of people’s behavior, belief systems, socio-economic structures, systems, socio-economic structures, popular culture, etc….popular culture, etc….

4) Embraces the interaction between history 4) Embraces the interaction between history and its neighboring fields (anthropology, and its neighboring fields (anthropology, political science, sociology, etc.)political science, sociology, etc.)

What is Political History?What is Political History?

1)1) Study of political events, Study of political events, movements, ideas, and structuresmovements, ideas, and structures



2)2) Generally deals with the traditional Generally deals with the traditional “nation-state”“nation-state”



2)2) Generally deals with the traditional Generally deals with the traditional “nation-state”“nation-state”

3) Biographies of political leaders and 3) Biographies of political leaders and their influencetheir influence

What is Intellectual History?What is Intellectual History?

1)1) Studies those who generate, Studies those who generate, discuss, and theorize about “ideas”discuss, and theorize about “ideas”


1)1) Studies those who generate, Studies those who generate, discuss, and theorize about “ideas” discuss, and theorize about “ideas”

2)2) Closely tied to philosophyClosely tied to philosophy


1)1) Studies those who generate, Studies those who generate, discuss, and theorize about “ideas” discuss, and theorize about “ideas”

2)2) Closely tied to philosophyClosely tied to philosophy

3)3) Often tends to study the “great Often tends to study the “great white men”white men”

Two Main TechniquesTwo Main Techniques

QualitativeQualitative—the interpretation and analysis —the interpretation and analysis of texts and images in order to understand of texts and images in order to understand the pastthe past

Two Main TechniquesTwo Main Techniques

QualitativeQualitative—the interpretation and analysis —the interpretation and analysis of texts and images in order to understand of texts and images in order to understand the pastthe past

QuantitativeQuantitative—the use of social science —the use of social science methodology (such as statistics) and other methodology (such as statistics) and other quantification to understand historyquantification to understand history

How would How would you categorize you categorize

this work?this work?

What is Historiography?What is Historiography?

1)1) ““The body of literature dealing with The body of literature dealing with historical matters; histories collectively”historical matters; histories collectively”


1) “The body of literature dealing with 1) “The body of literature dealing with historical matters; histories collectively” historical matters; histories collectively”

2) “The body of techniques, theories, and 2) “The body of techniques, theories, and principles of historical research and principles of historical research and presentation; methods of historical presentation; methods of historical scholarship”scholarship”

(Definitions from (Definitions from dictionary.com)dictionary.com)


1) “The body of literature dealing with 1) “The body of literature dealing with historical matters; histories collectively” historical matters; histories collectively”

2) “The body of techniques, theories, and 2) “The body of techniques, theories, and principles of historical research and principles of historical research and presentation; methods of historical presentation; methods of historical scholarship”scholarship”

3) The history of historical study and the 3) The history of historical study and the important debates occurring in the fieldimportant debates occurring in the field

(#1 and #2 definitions from (#1 and #2 definitions from dictionary.com)dictionary.com)

A A BRIEFBRIEF Historiography of Historiography of SlaverySlavery

U. B. Phillips (1918)U. B. Phillips (1918)



Kenneth Stampp (1956)Kenneth Stampp (1956)




Stanley Elkins (1959)Stanley Elkins (1959)




Stanley Elkins (1959)Stanley Elkins (1959)

Eugene Genovese (1974)Eugene Genovese (1974)

ConclusionsConclusions• Our goal is interpretation of the past in Our goal is interpretation of the past in

addition to descriptionaddition to description• Historians realize that their unique Historians realize that their unique

perspective will affect the questions perspective will affect the questions they ask, their method, and their they ask, their method, and their conclusionsconclusions

• History is infinitely complex and often History is infinitely complex and often raises as many questions as answersraises as many questions as answers

• Historians try to approach their subject Historians try to approach their subject objectively because we have a objectively because we have a responsibility to not glorify the pastresponsibility to not glorify the past

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