1. CIVIL AIR PATROL Historiography CITIZENS SERVING COMMUNITIES
Presenting the past...For today and tomorrow Presenter: Lt Col Richard B. Mulanax, PhD. National Historian Primary Author: Maj Kurt J. Efinger, Chief of the Publications & Research Division 9 AUG 2019 Baltimore, MD
CITIZENS SERVING COMMUNITIES

2. Lesson Objective...
By the end of this presentation, you will understand...
How professional historians approach their craft.
What it means to exercise integrity in writing and presenting history.
Why what we do is so important.

3. UNDERSTANDING HISTORICAL ANALYSIS, AND WRITING FOR SUCCESS…
History by nature, is subjective
regardless of evidence, or who writes/records it…
ergo...the job of the historian is to reduce the effects of his or her own bias…
In other words...the idea of “good history,” translates to “good investigation.”
History can be made to say whatever we want it to...an audience can always be found that latches on to our ideas and conclusions—albeit however “correct,” or “incorrect” they may be.

4. CHRONOLOGY
Placing the person or event(s) in the proper context of time
Using your expertise as an historian means developing a sensitivity to the subject being observed

5. CONTEXT
The idea of “contextualization” is placing things within a framework of reference (context)
When we say “hunter-gatherers,” do we mean this?

6. ...context. How did contemporary observers of history see the past?

7. Is Something out of context?
...and then there is this!
Is Something out of context?

8. ...and the worst of it! Quote attributed to...
When The evidence suggests otherwise!
Quote attributed to...

9. CHARACTERS Who is the subject of our observation?
We must develop a “whole personality” of the subject
…get inside that individuals head
We must fully and completely understand the subject of our analysis based on evidence provides
Doing less falls short of our task as professionals

10. CAUSATION 1 History is about cause and effect
How one thing leads to another, and then another…
To understand how the human saga evolved over time
To learn from the past to anticipate the future

11. CAUSATION 2 Which choice is correct?
To understand cause and its result
Example: The Austro-Hungarian empire declared war on Serbia because:
A....Serbia was a threat to Germanic hegemony?
B....“Serbian Nationalists” were responsible for the assassination of the Archduke?
C...Serbia rejected the “July Ultimatum” to surrender its sovereignty?
D...war was imminent, and the assassination of the archduke was used as a pretext for declaring war.
Which choice is correct?

12. CONSEQUENCES The effects of an event or action.
nothing escapes a “cause and effect” relationship.
including the idea of intended as well as unintended consequences.
The unintended consequences of U.S. aid to Britain in WWI was the targeting of American merchant vessels by German U-boats.

13. CRITICAL EVALUATION AND ANALYSIS
You must analyze primary and secondary sources for bias, credibility, and logical conclusions by the author
what prejudices did the author have in recording an event, or writing a biography of a contemporary figure or event?
How far removed was the author from an event or person?
Does a contemporary necessarily provide a better analysis than an historian?
Herodotus wrote of events far removed in time from his own life. How accurate could his assessments of events be?
COMPARE
CONTRAST

14. PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
The American Historical Association defines the profession of history as:
“...the never-ending process whereby people seek to understand the past and its many meanings.”
AHA 2005 Statement on Standards and Professional Conduct

15. …the question?
How well do we as CAP historians write about, and present CAP to future generations?

16. SOURCES FOR GUIDANCE After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection
James West Davidson & Mark Hamilton Lytle
Historiography: Ancient, Medieval, & Modern
Ernst Breisach
The Landscape of History: How Historians Map the Past
John Lewis Gaddis

17. Implementing Your Historical Skills: Annual Histories
Writing an annual history is the primary responsibility of a wing historian!
We have made it simpler by providing a template
…which addresses the core missions of CAP
ES, AE, CP
And statistical and other relevant information
An annual history is the “corporate memory” for a unit
It is written for the Commander and staff to review to evaluate wing performance during the previous year
And the same for region and squadron histories

18. Questions and comments?
Historiography
Questions
and comments?