You Need to Think Like an Historian
Three ways historians approach the past that can help you with the present
Historians are the storytellers.
They are the teller of the tales.
They write the story of our past.
We are living in historical times, and we mustn’t just consume what we hear without thought. We need to discern all that we see and hear. We need to think like an historian, and here is how they think.
They ask questions about the past.
An historian never looks at the past, assuming they have the answers. They look at history and ask the right questions. They don’t jump to a quick conclusion of why events occurred, but they ask the questions in search of the truth. They brush away the fallacies of what they think they know.
We need to question everything we have learned of our history. Not dismissively, but critically. We need to let reason be our guide and not emotion.
They look at primary sources
Historians don’t base their understanding on another person's work. They glean and gather pieces of information from contrasting sources.
They read widely in the secondary sources of others but it is only to guide their inquiry.
They don’t assume that just because someone possesses a certain level of scholarship that their written work is without fault.
An historian asks questions about the past through primary sources. What does the evidence tell them?
The interpretation of history is always changing as new primary sources are discovered. One has never arrived at the final conclusion.
They are aware of personal bias
Everyone has a personal bias, and that can’t be removed. However, for historians to do their job as storytellers. They have to be aware of their personal bias as well as the bias of others.
They base the story they write on the evidence that is found. They never refuse to consider the possible merits of alternative points of view.
Final Thoughts
An understanding of the past is crucially important in the understanding of the present. As we go through turbulent times, let us look at our past and ask questions. Let us thoughtfully ask questions about our present. We need to suspend our personal bias and look to the original sources of information.
In doing this, we will develop the critical skills to reason well.
As we write the story and tell the tales of this time, let us think like historians.
Let us reason with our contemporaries, and let us leave an accurate legacy of truth for future generations.