I always had historians pegged as researchers who spit facts back in a dry, boring manner. After taking this class, listening to speakers, and reading various texts I found that to be anything but true. The three readings for this assignment all present the material in a different way.
The American Revolution Handbook is what I always remembered a history text being. It gives you facts and allows you to make your own interpretation. It goes in chronological order, citing important events that occurred throughout the revolution.
The American Revolution by Wood gives his interpretation based off of the facts that can be found in any history text. This is what I found most interesting about historians; much of the information is just based off of facts. It is their opinion after a collaboration of primary resources, readings, and other historian’s views.
The last text was the picture book of the revolution. This is different from any text I have ever read throughout my schooling. The material in this text reminded much of the Hakim book. It had stories within the war. The inserts and images painted a story of what times were like during the war.
My overall view of historians has changed. I see them as storytellers, creating their own interpretations based off what facts they can obtain.
I find it interesting that you referred to historians as storytellers. That is basically what they are doing even though I never really thought of it in that way. Before reading these books, I considered historians to be intelligent people who just fired out facts. After taking this course and reading numerous texts I now realize that they are passionate about and captivated in how our country to be. They just want to pass their knowledge and passion onto others; hensce becoming storytellers.
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