History and TOK What value does History have in my life? People are trapped in history, and history is trapped in them. ~James Baldwin, Notes of a Native Son

Questions to be discussed What is history as an area of knowledge? What is history as an area of knowledge? What is the method we use to gain knowledge of history? What is the method we use to gain knowledge of history? Why do we study history? Why do we study history? About whom is history written? (values) About whom is history written? (values)

What is History? It’s not about the past but about how the past has been interpreted It’s not about the past but about how the past has been interpreted It’s not just a bunch of names and dates. It’s not just a bunch of names and dates. It’s a lens It’s a lens

History and TOK Choose and list 3 important events that happened this year for the school? Choose and list 3 important events that happened this year for the school? What values do you base your selection on? What values do you base your selection on? Is there a class consensus on the same set of values? Is there a class consensus on the same set of values?

Why is it difficult? History is the most difficult of all the sciences. Fustel de Coulanges History is the most difficult of all the sciences. Fustel de Coulanges

Historiography NOT History What is written about the past is influenced by what the writer thinks is meaningful to know and factors around him/her at the time. What is written about the past is influenced by what the writer thinks is meaningful to know and factors around him/her at the time. Read the skit on two interpretations of Latin American colonization Read the skit on two interpretations of Latin American colonization What are the problems of knowing which truth? What are the problems of knowing which truth?

Why do I need to know? Everything has a history: ideas, wars, numbers, races, windsurfing, coal miners, pencils, motherhood and yes, even toilet-training Everything has a history: ideas, wars, numbers, races, windsurfing, coal miners, pencils, motherhood and yes, even toilet-training But why do I bother? What's the point? It’s a Socratic issue. But why do I bother? What's the point? It’s a Socratic issue. He had wisdom because he knew only one thing: that he knew nothing. He had wisdom because he knew only one thing: that he knew nothing. It was not enough to know something. You had to know why you knew it. It was not enough to know something. You had to know why you knew it. This is the greatest question of all: what is knowledge? What can we know? This is the greatest question of all: what is knowledge? What can we know? For Socrates, perhaps the highest virtue can be summed up in the phrase, "Know thyself.” For Socrates, perhaps the highest virtue can be summed up in the phrase, "Know thyself.” To know yourself means to be aware of what it is that makes you who you are To know yourself means to be aware of what it is that makes you who you are

Why do I need to know? Go to the lyrics of STING’s “History teaches us nothing” Go to the lyrics of STING’s “History teaches us nothing” Listen to the following song Listen to the following song Do you agree history teaches us nothing? Do you agree history teaches us nothing? From looking at the lyrics of the song, can you interpret what values and judgements STING makes about history? From looking at the lyrics of the song, can you interpret what values and judgements STING makes about history?

Whose History? History is written by the winners by Alex Haley History is written by the winners by Alex Haley Until lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunters. ~African Proverb Until lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunters. ~African Proverb Take the handout “How history happens”. In pairs read through the different ways individuals have done history. Take the handout “How history happens”. In pairs read through the different ways individuals have done history.