By definition, history is the chronological study of past events. It is taking the moments in time that were, in some cases, not of particular importance when they occurred, but are now viewed as watershed moments. History is the understanding of the force behind these moments and the people who created them, and why they are pertinent to our lives as they are today. To do history, an individual usually analyzes written documents or photos, trying to unearth the meaning or gravity behind them.
After completing Dr, Tracy Penny Light’s Pre-Confederation History course, I have come to understand what it means to “do” history. To “do” history, an individual must analyze a myriad of sources, ranging anywhere from a written document, to a traditional oral story, a photograph, or even an artifact. It also means examining these sources without bias, something that has proven to be difficult to myself and potentially many more historians. I have also learned that thinking historically does not mean examining sources with the understandings of today’s traditions or practices, but instead dissecting sources while in the mindset of an individual who may have lived at the time of the source’s creation. That is to say, one cannot depend on their knowledge of their own daily life to fully understand what is said or implied in a historical setting.
Overall, I have learned that historical thinking and doing history are far more than reading a document of looking at a photo. Doing history is understanding the importance and the meaning behind each source, regardless of its form. Historical thinking, on the other hand, is placing equal value in each source you analyze, regardless of its origin or type. Together, they create a richer understanding of key moments in time that culminated to create the daily life we know today.