When you think about studying history, do you imagine memorizing thousands of facts, dates and details? While studying history can certainly give you a leg up playing Trivial Pursuit, becoming an historian involves a great deal more than memorization. History is not merely a collection of self-evident truths. The past is an intricate tapestry woven from countless details, perspectives and interpretations, often handed down to us in incomplete or biased form. To transform this raw material into history, historians carefully select, arrange and interpret these details, creating interpretations and narratives that are as far as possible significant and true.
At its core, history is about understanding change over time, discerning patterns, and exploring the development of all facets of human society, including political, cultural, social, economic, scientific, intellectual, religious, military, medical, legal and so many others. It’s about breathing life into the past and applying its lessons to navigate present challenges and shape a better future. While we all dabble a bit in history by engaging with our personal and collective pasts, the pursuit of history as a discipline requires honing a unique set of skills and intellectual habits. You may be wondering, what are the skills of an historian? In this blog, we’ll explore and answer that question about the role and skills historians have.
