I would add the following. One is that I tell my students, history happens chronologically but not in order. One event follows another, but that doesn't mean something in the distant past didn't have a bigger effect than something in the immediate past.
I would add the following. One is that I tell my students, history happens chronologically but not in order. One event follows another, but that doesn't mean something in the distant past didn't have a bigger effect than something in the immediate past.
Another is that when people tell historians to stick to the facts, I say, which facts? And choosing the facts is in itself an act of interpretation.
Now, I can and do fault Israel. Don't get me wrong. But I don't think Hamas and Iran did themselves any favors. I remember Bill Clinton talking about how they thought they had a deal at one point and suddenly Yassir Arafat went off the beam, and we're still here. That said ... I find it ironic that Israel has a leader who would have been so comfortable in the 1930s.
"[H]istory happens chronologically but not in order. One event follows another, but that doesn't mean something in the distant past didn't have a bigger effect than something in the immediate past." Beautiful! Your students are beyond fortunate to have you as a professor!!
Well, thanks. I do mainly 19th century US and Nevada/Las Vegas stuff since, yeah, I'm in Las Vegas. I used to do a course on the Supreme Court, but I haven't for a few years because I wasn't sure I could keep from cussing. :)
LOL!!! I have to admit that I only took one course in U.S. History, because I knew that I would be reading it myself. It was a small seminar led by a wonderful history prof (at UNC) on the Spanish American War and Pres. McKinley. There was no such thing as a World History at the time (early 1970's), so I cobbled my own together. It meant taking a class in Buddhism (for China) + studying Chinese; it meant studying British Imperialism for India; it meant geography for Africa; plus four Russian history classes + studying Russian. I took all of the "usual" (fabulous profs) three courses on European history. Then another on the Industrial Revolution in England, and what turned out, shockingly (because I hated Science at that time), to be a favorite: the History of Science, a one-year course. Now, happily, their is a World History major at UNC. YAY!
As a history professor, how could I disagree?
I would add the following. One is that I tell my students, history happens chronologically but not in order. One event follows another, but that doesn't mean something in the distant past didn't have a bigger effect than something in the immediate past.
Another is that when people tell historians to stick to the facts, I say, which facts? And choosing the facts is in itself an act of interpretation.
Now, I can and do fault Israel. Don't get me wrong. But I don't think Hamas and Iran did themselves any favors. I remember Bill Clinton talking about how they thought they had a deal at one point and suddenly Yassir Arafat went off the beam, and we're still here. That said ... I find it ironic that Israel has a leader who would have been so comfortable in the 1930s.
"[H]istory happens chronologically but not in order. One event follows another, but that doesn't mean something in the distant past didn't have a bigger effect than something in the immediate past." Beautiful! Your students are beyond fortunate to have you as a professor!!
Well, that's very kind of you. Thank you. Of course, whether they agree may depend on the grading I'm about to do!
Just to have that thought in mind (potentially/hopefully) for the rest of their lives is an enormous gift. What area of History do you focus on?
Well, thanks. I do mainly 19th century US and Nevada/Las Vegas stuff since, yeah, I'm in Las Vegas. I used to do a course on the Supreme Court, but I haven't for a few years because I wasn't sure I could keep from cussing. :)
LOL!!! I have to admit that I only took one course in U.S. History, because I knew that I would be reading it myself. It was a small seminar led by a wonderful history prof (at UNC) on the Spanish American War and Pres. McKinley. There was no such thing as a World History at the time (early 1970's), so I cobbled my own together. It meant taking a class in Buddhism (for China) + studying Chinese; it meant studying British Imperialism for India; it meant geography for Africa; plus four Russian history classes + studying Russian. I took all of the "usual" (fabulous profs) three courses on European history. Then another on the Industrial Revolution in England, and what turned out, shockingly (because I hated Science at that time), to be a favorite: the History of Science, a one-year course. Now, happily, their is a World History major at UNC. YAY!
Happily, there's a lot more good stuff now being taught!
That's so important!
No f@#$ing kidding. Would LOVE to be in your history class! Thanks for that insight.
Thank you!