This will be your last chapter to read and no doubt a dense one. Arguably, the most important chapter when we consider the influence Tosh might have on the way we think and write about history. The "limits" of historical knowledge...what does he mean by that? How have some historians both past and contemporary dealt with these limits? You will need to link these attempts to a few critical philosophical stances (see below).
Key terms you should understand: Positivism, Idealism, Postmodernism
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Good Morning!!!
Hope everyone is doing well. If you like hot summer weather, your ship has come in. Maybe during those hot summer afternoons some of you are reaching for your John Tosh text. In that event you need more prompts; here we go for chapter 6!
On page 140 Tosh posited, "Historical writing is essential to historical understanding, and those who shrink from undertaking it are something less than historians." After reading this chapter, how does Tosh qualify this statement? In other words, what does he mean by this, and how does he support this claim? Again, a "for example" or two will help your answer.
Again, very important matters discussed here that have tremendous relevance to what we do in AP Euro. An important choice we make in history is how to write and interpret history.
MZ
Hope everyone is doing well. If you like hot summer weather, your ship has come in. Maybe during those hot summer afternoons some of you are reaching for your John Tosh text. In that event you need more prompts; here we go for chapter 6!
On page 140 Tosh posited, "Historical writing is essential to historical understanding, and those who shrink from undertaking it are something less than historians." After reading this chapter, how does Tosh qualify this statement? In other words, what does he mean by this, and how does he support this claim? Again, a "for example" or two will help your answer.
Again, very important matters discussed here that have tremendous relevance to what we do in AP Euro. An important choice we make in history is how to write and interpret history.
MZ
Monday, August 3, 2009
Chapter 5---The Themes of Mainstream History
Good Morning Everyone. We have arrived at chapter 5. We will complete chapters 6 and 7, before the summer is over. I will integrate chapters 8-10 into my lessons when we start. We will skip chapter 11.
Now a little bird indicated to me that some of you have not done too much. Let's get up to speed if you are not finished with chapter 4.
I just finished doing a workshop at Palmyra High School and had the opportunity to mix with some fine teachers in that area. This week my oldest son turns 7 and we are having a birthday party at Ski Roundtop. They have this giant ball you get into that rolls down the side of the mountain! My stomach could never take that but Harrison is looking forward to it.
Finally, did anyone catch some of the performances at the 50th Newport Folk Festival (it was on last night on PBS). Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, the Nightwatchmen, Billy Bragg, Springsteen...it was very cool). If you like folk music, this is a must. And of course much of this music speaks to themes of social justice both historical and present. For example, Seeger sang all of the versus to "This Land is you Land".
Here we go. "Time to read all of your words, swallow your pride, open your eyes". -R.O.
Questions on chapter 5.
Chapter 5 gives an overview of the main themes in mainstream history.
1. What are the main themes?
2. What is a biography? How do historians differ on their opinions of biographies?
3. How did L.B. Namier's approach to doing history differ from the "great man" approach?
4. How did the Annales school approach historical inquiry by the early 20th Century? Was this a breakthrough? Explain.
5. Using an example, how do economic and political historians differ in their approach to constructing the past?
6. Why is the theme of "social history" a difficult one to define? Consider the various subtopics and resources in "social history" when weighing this question.
I will check back in next week. Have a good one. It feels like summer. Have fun at Band Camp for those of you attending.
MZ
Now a little bird indicated to me that some of you have not done too much. Let's get up to speed if you are not finished with chapter 4.
I just finished doing a workshop at Palmyra High School and had the opportunity to mix with some fine teachers in that area. This week my oldest son turns 7 and we are having a birthday party at Ski Roundtop. They have this giant ball you get into that rolls down the side of the mountain! My stomach could never take that but Harrison is looking forward to it.
Finally, did anyone catch some of the performances at the 50th Newport Folk Festival (it was on last night on PBS). Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, the Nightwatchmen, Billy Bragg, Springsteen...it was very cool). If you like folk music, this is a must. And of course much of this music speaks to themes of social justice both historical and present. For example, Seeger sang all of the versus to "This Land is you Land".
Here we go. "Time to read all of your words, swallow your pride, open your eyes". -R.O.
Questions on chapter 5.
Chapter 5 gives an overview of the main themes in mainstream history.
1. What are the main themes?
2. What is a biography? How do historians differ on their opinions of biographies?
3. How did L.B. Namier's approach to doing history differ from the "great man" approach?
4. How did the Annales school approach historical inquiry by the early 20th Century? Was this a breakthrough? Explain.
5. Using an example, how do economic and political historians differ in their approach to constructing the past?
6. Why is the theme of "social history" a difficult one to define? Consider the various subtopics and resources in "social history" when weighing this question.
I will check back in next week. Have a good one. It feels like summer. Have fun at Band Camp for those of you attending.
MZ
Monday, July 20, 2009
Chapter 4-Using the Sources
Not to be confused with the "sweetces" Sour, sweet,...and you can not believe I publish and emote comedy. This was probably the worst on-line joke in the history of on-line jokes. And this is what makes it a gem.
Here we go!
Using the Sources. Again, critical in this course. Historical construction means that we use the sources to make a case for what happened in the past. The last chapter profiled what historians use to accomplish this. This chapter looks at how historians "use" the sources. Sounds simple, but let's grapple with these questions as we read.
Key Words:
1. External Criticism
2. Internal Criticism
3. Cooroborate
1. Explain the 2 main methods by which new research is composed. Are these methods completed in isolation from one another, explain.
2. What are historical forgeries? What value can they be to the historian? Use the Donation of Constantine for your example. If you don't know too much about this, look this event up.
3. What kinds of questions are historians asking ( come up with 3) when they employ internal criticism to a document? (Great connection to the DBQ or Document Based Question--a type of essay for AP Euro).
4. Given the nature of using primary sources to construct the past, what does it mean to say the historian looks to corroborate them in a meaningful and deliberate manner?
Here we go!
Using the Sources. Again, critical in this course. Historical construction means that we use the sources to make a case for what happened in the past. The last chapter profiled what historians use to accomplish this. This chapter looks at how historians "use" the sources. Sounds simple, but let's grapple with these questions as we read.
Key Words:
1. External Criticism
2. Internal Criticism
3. Cooroborate
1. Explain the 2 main methods by which new research is composed. Are these methods completed in isolation from one another, explain.
2. What are historical forgeries? What value can they be to the historian? Use the Donation of Constantine for your example. If you don't know too much about this, look this event up.
3. What kinds of questions are historians asking ( come up with 3) when they employ internal criticism to a document? (Great connection to the DBQ or Document Based Question--a type of essay for AP Euro).
4. Given the nature of using primary sources to construct the past, what does it mean to say the historian looks to corroborate them in a meaningful and deliberate manner?
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Chapter 3--The Raw Materials
Not to be confused with the "Well Done" materials...raw, well done...LOL on this end...and I am using it at the comedy club on Friday night. Senior night again. They will love it.
Sorry for the delay. I just got back from Vermont on Sunday. It was cold and raining for 2 days but we managed to have a nice time. By Thursday the sun broke and we were able to ride bikes around Stowe on an amazing bike path. I brought my Tosh book with the hopes of being able to post up there but my kids had other plans.
I have received some follow-up questions from some of you and here is what I would like to do with these; can we post them? So that the class may see your questions and my responses. All you need is an e-mail (you can make a gmail account if you want a separate account for this purpose) and password. The instructions are straightforward and right on the blog site.
Now for the Chapter 3 prompts: (when we write in AP Euro---your ability to think about the raw materials is critical)
1. This is a basic but critical, what is the difference between a primary and secondary source?
2. Why are historians interested in what contemporaries "thought" was happening as opposed to what was actually happening? Make sure you "for example" your response.
3. Why do many historians value press publications such as newspapers in constructing the past?
4. What does private correspondence offer the historian?
5. Finally, no matter what type of raw material the historian is examining, what questions almost always come up? In other words, what basic questions do we need to answer about any primary resource? Try to think of at least 5.
Sorry for the delay. I just got back from Vermont on Sunday. It was cold and raining for 2 days but we managed to have a nice time. By Thursday the sun broke and we were able to ride bikes around Stowe on an amazing bike path. I brought my Tosh book with the hopes of being able to post up there but my kids had other plans.
I have received some follow-up questions from some of you and here is what I would like to do with these; can we post them? So that the class may see your questions and my responses. All you need is an e-mail (you can make a gmail account if you want a separate account for this purpose) and password. The instructions are straightforward and right on the blog site.
Now for the Chapter 3 prompts: (when we write in AP Euro---your ability to think about the raw materials is critical)
1. This is a basic but critical, what is the difference between a primary and secondary source?
2. Why are historians interested in what contemporaries "thought" was happening as opposed to what was actually happening? Make sure you "for example" your response.
3. Why do many historians value press publications such as newspapers in constructing the past?
4. What does private correspondence offer the historian?
5. Finally, no matter what type of raw material the historian is examining, what questions almost always come up? In other words, what basic questions do we need to answer about any primary resource? Try to think of at least 5.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The Uses of History
How is everyone doing? Great on my end. Hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend. I wanted to throw out a new post for your next chapter (The Uses of History, chapter 2). This chapter is a clear extension of chapter 1.
The overarching question is: What are the uses of history?
Subtopic questions: What are the extreme ends of the uses of history? Why do professional historians tend to stay away from the extremes?
How does historical "difference, context, and process" play itself out in the uses of history?
How might this chapter inform us on they types of choices we make when we write about history in AP Euro? For example, what might be the overall purpose of "any" given essay give the context of this chapter?
The overarching question is: What are the uses of history?
Subtopic questions: What are the extreme ends of the uses of history? Why do professional historians tend to stay away from the extremes?
How does historical "difference, context, and process" play itself out in the uses of history?
How might this chapter inform us on they types of choices we make when we write about history in AP Euro? For example, what might be the overall purpose of "any" given essay give the context of this chapter?
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Summer Reading Questions-Tosh Text
How is everyone? Fine here. Although this week I had the bad luck of getting the flu. As you all know-not fun. Other than that, staying busy with my kids and one of these evenings we are going to head up to Knoebels. That's an amusement park that truly is a relic from the past.
In regards to AP Euro; I have been been busy (re-reading) the Tosh text and taking a class at Penn State. I hope by now you all received your copy. Similar to my 20th Century blog, for now I am not going to ask you to post responses. This link rather will publish the essential questions I would like you answer as you progress through the text. Please record your answers in a traditional notebook, legal pad, or however you keep your notes. But please have a record of your work. You do not have have to send me your answers but have these completed by next Thursday. We will rather have an open notes assessment on the text within the first full week of school.
____________________________________________________________________
Tosh Text- Chapter 1 questions and key terms you should be familiar with:
Terms:
1. historical awareness
2. Social or Collective Memory
3. Historicism
4. Antiquarianism
5. Anachronism
6. Essentialism
7. Metahistory
EQ's
1. Tosh begins his text with a treatment on historical awareness. What is historical awareness? How is this different from social or collective memory?
2. Explain why 19th Century "historicism" was such a breakthrough in the way historians understood the profession?
3. Why do historicists take issue with historians that pay respect for (1) tradition, (2) nostalgia , and (3) belief in progress . Use examples to support your answer.
In regards to AP Euro; I have been been busy (re-reading) the Tosh text and taking a class at Penn State. I hope by now you all received your copy. Similar to my 20th Century blog, for now I am not going to ask you to post responses. This link rather will publish the essential questions I would like you answer as you progress through the text. Please record your answers in a traditional notebook, legal pad, or however you keep your notes. But please have a record of your work. You do not have have to send me your answers but have these completed by next Thursday. We will rather have an open notes assessment on the text within the first full week of school.
____________________________________________________________________
Tosh Text- Chapter 1 questions and key terms you should be familiar with:
Terms:
1. historical awareness
2. Social or Collective Memory
3. Historicism
4. Antiquarianism
5. Anachronism
6. Essentialism
7. Metahistory
EQ's
1. Tosh begins his text with a treatment on historical awareness. What is historical awareness? How is this different from social or collective memory?
2. Explain why 19th Century "historicism" was such a breakthrough in the way historians understood the profession?
3. Why do historicists take issue with historians that pay respect for (1) tradition, (2) nostalgia , and (3) belief in progress . Use examples to support your answer.
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