I studied the history that was required for graduation from high school. But when I got to college I signed up for a required history class and ran smack into a man who helped decide one of my two majors...his name was Dr. Fred Hill...and he made history so much fun to study and research that I settled in for as many courses as I could take and still manage the other courses required for a degree from a Liberal Arts College.
A course in historiography made me aware...very aware...that history is written by the "winners." Aware that if one wants to find out about the "losers" one will have to dig much deeper than the popular printed material. I was also to discover that all along the way of life there are folks who try really hard to rewrite history to fit their agendas, the prejudices, their defense of the status quo.
In recent memory the person I am aware of who has tried his damnedest to rewrite history to fit not only his agenda, but the agenda of the Far Right political and Christian agenda is David Barton. If you want to do so, you can check out his clap-trap at wallbuilders.com.
But Barton is not alone. More and more I see material and memes on the internet...especially on social media...trying to rewrite history to fit an agenda that is silly, bigoted, and dangerous.
-Pay close attention to the methodology of those who write stuff called "history."
-Check the sources and the theoretical approaches of historians.
-Try to determine if the material you are reading is actually concerned to find the truth.
-Make sure the historian whose work you are reading uses primary sources as often as possible in researching the topic.
-Good history includes a study of the social evolution taking place at the time being researched and written about.
-History written as propaganda is bad history.
And while historiography doesn't teach this..."stuff" written by the David Bartons of this world is "stuff," not "history."
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