Understanding History through the American Experience
Contents
Foreword
1โ Why Study History at All?
Every Man a Historian
Understanding the Present
Avoid the Mistakes of the Past
History Is Necessary for Intelligent Citizenship
Appreciation of Other Peoples and Cultures
History for Pleasure and Inspiration
2โ How to Study History
Study
Read Extensively
Take Notes
Use Common Sense
Become History-Minded
How to Become History-Minded
Examinations
1โ How to Study
2โ Essay Questions
3โ Things Always Change: But Always Remain the Same
No Sharp Breaks in History
Extent of Change Easily Overrated
But Nothing Remains Stationary
Awareness of Change
Historical Parallels
Roots in the Past
Slowness of Change
Theories about Historical Change
4โ What Can We Really Know about History?
History No Science
The Raw Materials of History
Too Much Material
Too Little Material
Are Surviving Materials Typical?
Deficiencies of Witnesses
Forgeries
Bias
Plots
Innate Deficiencies in Various Kinds of Materials
1โ Biography
2โ Memoirs
3โ Diplomatic Correspondence
4โ Propaganda
The Historian's Function
Historians Create History
Mechanical Errors
Other Sources of Information
The Historian's Bias
What Can We Know?
The Rewriting of History
1โ New Information
2โ Correction of Errors
3โ Changing Interests
5โ Is History the Work of Great Men?
Remote and Immediate Causes
The Individual in History
If Just One Thing Had Been Different
Assassination
Medical Crises
Things Do Not Happen "In General"
Limitations on Individual Achievement
Do Times Make the Man?
The Man Who Is "Made" by a Movement
Limitations Imposed by Impersonal Factors
Uncontrollable Forces
Summary
6โ The Role of Ideas in History
Popular Ideas Determine the Character of Society
The Pursuit of Ideals
One Man's Ideals
Changes in Basic Attitudes
Ideals versus Realities
Ideas as Fads
Popular Attitudes
Repression of Ideas
Ideals as a Facade
People Can Be Imprisoned by Ideas
Idealism in Government
Prestige of Old Ideas
Ideas Are Often Changed
Reaction against Ideas
Ideas as Myths
Rival Ideas
Dilution of Ideals
7โ How Organizations Influence History
The Nature and Proclivities of Organizations
Governments
Legislative Bodies
Courts
Bureaucracies
Political Organizations
Churches
Armies
Occupational Organizations
Other Organizations
Institutions Inspire People
The Prestige of Age
8โ Economic and Technological Factors in History
Economic Historians
Class Rivalries
The Economic Basis of National Power
Economic Motivation behind National Policies
Economic Experiences
The Economic Basis of Ideals
Technology as a Molder of History
1โ War
2โ The Industrial Revolution
3โ American Experience
Technological Advances Follow Need
Weakness of the Economic Interpretation of History
Differences in Time
9โ Man and His Physical Environment
Geography and the Character of Civilization
Geography and War
Geography and National Power
Exaggeration of Geographical Influences
Opportunities Missed
Changing Times
10โ Conclusion
11โ Doing a Term Paper
Rules for the Preparation of a Term Paper
1โ Selection of the Topic
2โ Preliminary Readings
3โ Preparation of the Bibliography
4โ Note-Taking
5โ Preparation of the Topical Outline
6โ Preliminary Approval
7โ Writing the Essay
Rules for the Form of the Essay
1โ Margins
2โ Page Numbering
3โ Spacing
4โ Punctuation and Capitalization
5โ Indentation
6โ Direct Quotations
7โ Footnotes
Bibliography
Primary Material
Secondary Material
Index
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W