history and historian.pptx

LESSON FIVE
HISTORY AND HISTORIAN
NOTE
The present text is taken from the introduction to a book called Conflict and Consensus in Modern American History edited by Allen F. Davis and Harold D . Woodman , professors of Temple University respectively , who also wrote the introduction themselves.
INTRODUCTION
1)The author has hit upon a serious deficiency in the North American education system. The simple accum-ulation of facts is seen by many to be what the study of history is all about. Scant attention is paid to the fact that historicans select facts. Indeed, they select relatively few from the infinite possible range of facts.
2)Two other very important points made in this essay are that. (1)This sele-ction is based upon the historian’s perspective; and(2)it is the putting together of facts to form intepreta-tions that matters. Interpretations give meaning to that which is otherwise meaningless and lifeless. These two points are related: the historian’s perspectives incline him or her to select certain facts which, in turn, lead students of history to similar interpretations.
3)This is a piece of expository writing so the emphasis in