Introduction: Today we begin the second topic in Unit I: Understanding the complexities of the historical discipline. We spent the first days of class talking about the History Wars that have accompanied the study of history from the late 19th century into the 21st century and today we are continuing that study by looking at the very history that was the topic of those wars.

Methods Discussion: As we begin our discussion of what history is and what it is not, it is important to learn a certain teaching method that is absolutely necessary for us as history teachers and will be absolutely necessary to teach our students - Historical Perspective.

• Whenever we discuss a historical topic in our classes, it is tempting to look at it with our 21st Century minds. For instance, in onel unit of this course, we will discuss the evolution of the Constitution throughout U.S. History and how to teach it. Such a discussion begins with the Founding Fathers. With our 21st Century minds, it is tempting to think that the Founders were hypocrits when they wrote in the Declaration of Independence that "all men were created equal." We will be pointing to the facts that women were left out, that all men obviously were not equal because Indian men and enslaved men were clearly not equal.
• Thus, we must look at the topic with the historical perspective of our 18th Century minds. In so doing, we must ask ourselves, how did the Founders define "equal?" What did they mean by the verb "created?" Was this a radically different idea about society compared with the rest of the late 18th Century world? In so doing, this allows us to see that for the late 18th Century - and thinking with our 18th Century minds - the founders were men way ahead of their time and that they created a unique declaration for a new nation that was more equal than in most places throughout the world. Thus, they were not hypocrits within the 18th Century world context.
• To help you get into the mindset common to the historical era under study, check out the incredibly great podcast - Backstory at http://backstoryradio.org/. In each podcast, you will get the 18th century perspective from Dr. Peter Onuf (University of Virginia), the 19th Century perspective from Dr. Ed Ayers (University of Richmond), and the 20th Century perspective from Dr. Brian Balogh (University of Virginia).

Discussion Goals:

1. To determine what history is and what it is not.
2. To further discusss what history is not.

Cold call: Second cold call on required reading - Loewen, "Introduction" AND Chapter 7 "The $24 Myth" AND "Without Sanctuary"

Goal #1: to determine what history is and is not

• History is chronological storytelling in its finest form; it sequentially weaves together many related historical and contemporary events and ideas that are linked to a larger story.   History is not a recitation of unrelated facts that do not contribute to a larger story.
• History is interpretive; it invites students to debate multiple perspectives, offer their opinions and educated interpretations, and challenge existing beliefs. History does not dummy down to students by teaching standardized facts that do not encourage open inquiry and healthy skepticism.
• History is revisionist in scope; it is an on-going conversation and a constant process of reexamining the past and deconstructing myths based upon new discoveries, evidence, and perspectives. History is not about an agreed upon set of facts, one indisputably true history, or a forever-fixed story that is never subjected to changes and updates.
• History is a constant process of questioning; it requires questioning the texts, examining them with a critical eye, and asking new questions. History is not a simple acceptance of what is written about a historical topic, event, or person.
• History is integrative of many disciplines; it especially incorporates geography, literature, art, sociology, economics, and political science. History is not a simple historical chronology of famous dates, incidents, and people.

End of 9/1 discussion

• History is inclusive; it ensures that the experiences of all classes, regions, and ethno-racial groups, as well as both genders, are included. History is not restricted to stories written by and about the most well known leaders in American history.
• History is relevant; it uses past experiences to explain what is important in our lives today..  History is not a strict reliance solely on the past with no examination of how the past has influenced the present or how it may influence the future.
• History is controversial; it presents all the facts, warts and all, and examines both the negative and positive actions of Americans, encourages students to think about social justice and social change, and promotes real understanding of historical issues and events and critical analysis of our nation’s domestic and foreign policies. History is not about one absolute truth, one particular perspective, or one set of facts and figures - nor does it shy away from offending anyone.
• History incorporates historiography; it includes many different interpretations of historical events written by many different historians. History is not one singular telling of events.

Cold call: Third cold call on required reading - Loewen, Chapter 3 "Historiography"

End of 9/3 discussion

Goal #2: To further discuss what history is not

We have spent the last two days talking about what history is and is not. To round out the discussion, it is important to take at least two more steps towards understanding what history is not: gaining some practical knowledge of Historiography and understanding the power of myths and how to use them in our classes.

Gaining some Practical Knowledge of Historiography

Methods Discussion: Early in your school semester, it is important to teach your students the work of historians via a discussion of Historiography. So let's get an even clearer picture of how the telling of the same event in history has many different iterations. Our goal here is to see what various university-level textbooks say about a defined topic - Japanese Internment during World War II. Each of you will receive a textbook to use and every textbook will be different. Once you receive your textbook, take out a sheet of paper, write your name on the top and below it, write the title and authors of your textbook. Then, complete the following textbook analysis.

Part I : Working on your own, spend 10 minutes answering the following questions:

• What was the year your textbook was published? _____
• How many entries for your topic were found in the index? _____
• How many total pages were devoted to your topic? _____
• Did the authors provide a ballanced perspective about your topic, showing different viewpoints? Explain.
• What were the two most important points the author(s) made about the topic?
• From your understanding of the topic, what important information was left out of the textbook discussion?
• From your understanding of the topic, whoses voices were omitted from the textbook discussion? How do you think these voices would have improved the discussion of your topic?

Part II : Working in groups of four, spend 20 minutes comparing and contrasting your findings with your collegues by addressing the following questions (no need to write the answers down to these questions. This is discussion only)

• How did the amount of space devoted to your topic in each book compare and contrast?
• Looking at the most important points each of you identified from your textbook, how did they compare and contrast?
• Was there a clear difference in perspective in the four different textbooks? If so, discuss and clarify each. If not, explain how and why they were similar.
• What do you think could account for the difference in perspective?
• Which textbook provided the most complete and balanced explanation of your topic. How and why was this the best coverage?
• Which textbook provided the least complete and balanced explanation? How and why was this the least complete and balanced coverage?
• Did this assignment give you a better understanding of historiography? How and why?

Part III: Stay in your groups and take 2-3 minutes to collectively decide on another topic that you can investigate in your textbooks.

• Individually, take 10 minutes to complete the same questions found above in Part I.
• In your groups, take 15 minutes to discuss the same questions found above in Part II.
• Please elect two group spokespersons - one to explain your answers to Part II for the topic of Japanese Internment and the second spokesperson to explain your answers to Part II for the topic you selected

Understanding the Power of Myths. As teachers in the making, we need to understand that often times the myths about history are more powerful than the facts. To illustrate this point, we are going to watch Lisa the Iconoclast (The Simpsons, Season 7, Episode 16) -http://www.animetoon.eu/the-simpsons-season-7-episode-16

• Methods Discussion: Before we watch this episode, we need to conduct a quick Think/Pair/Share method to see if we can define the word "iconoclast." So please do the following:
  • Take out a sheet of paper and then take one minute to write what you think the word means.
  • Turn to your partner and take two minutes to agree upon and write down a definition.
  • Decide which one of you will share your definition with the class.
• Discussion of the Simpsons episode.
  • Should historians be iconoclasts? Why or why not?
  • What does this episode tell you about how the public perceives history teachers?   
  • What stereotypes does this episode promote?
  • As a history teacher to be, what do you believe is the most important point made in this episode?
  • Myths can be more powerful than what really happened.  Why?
  • The “truth” about Jebediah Springfield is more interesting and tells a more complex story than the myth.  So why don’t we teach it?

The "bottom line" as Loewen reminds us in Chapter 7, "The $24 Myth:

• "Sometimes the way in which a cultural element functions is more important than whether it is true or false." (p. 147)
• Myths make us believe something quite complex is not very problemmatic. Examples??
• Myths further the sense of "entitlement and moral and intellectual superiority." Is this American exceptionalism? How and why?

End of 9/8 discussion