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History and Perspective

Perspective = Point of View History is a collection of stories about events that have happened. These stories often take the point of view of the person who tells them. Can different people have different perspectives of the same thing?

Duck or Rabbit? (tilt your head to the right and then to the left)

Let’s Try Again!

Old Woman or Young Woman?

It is IMPORTANT whose side of the story we hear “Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past.” -George Orwell “Controlling” history – that is, getting your story heard – gives you power.

Here’s an example: Should Joey Windham be allowed to drive his parents car? Story A – In just 6 months of having his license, Joey Windham has had many driving issues. He got a speeding ticket for going way over the limit and he received another warning for speeding. He regularly disregards other traffic laws, putting himself and others in danger. Story B – Joey Windham has now had his license for 6 months and has a fairly clean driving record. He has only received one ticket and that was only for going 10 miles per hour over the speed limit. He has not received any other traffic violations. Does it matter whose side of the story is told?

Another example… What role should the United States, as a major world power, play in international disputes? Story A: In 2003, the United States invaded Iraq to remove a dangerous dictator. It did this after finding solid evidence that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMD’s). The U.S. had the support of many other countries, and the invasion of Iraq has made the world a safer place.

Story B: In 2003, the United States invaded Iraq primarily to control Iraq’s oil. The U.S. presented false evidence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, and went in with very little international support. The Iraq war has made the world a more dangerous place. Again, what role should the U.S. play in the world?

Who gets to tell the “story” of history? Winston Churchill “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.”

Churchill did write it!

Usually the “winners” get to tell the story –How familiar are you with the story of Columbus discovering the New World from the point of the Arawak people? What groups have traditionally been “winners” in history?

Do the facts matter? The past is full of “facts” about things that have happened These facts are important because of how they fit in to the story Studying the facts helps us make educated decisions about which stories best answer these big important questions.