What is History and Why should I care

about a bunch of stuff that happened a

long time ago to a bunch of old people?

Four Corners
Interested but
need to know
more

Love History

Move to the corner that

best represents your
attitude towards history

Not
interested
but have to
learn it

History Suck

So what is history anyway?

The study of past events
The story of who we were, are and will be
Past events represented by historians
Specific to culture, race, religion, gender,

Why should I care about stuff that

happened a long time ago?
With your quote, do the following:
What does this quote mean?
Do you agree with it?
Ask one question about the quote.

Why should I care about stuff that

happened a long time ago?
History is a myth we all agree to believe" Napoleon Bonaparte
"The past is useless. That explains why it is past" Wright Morris
"There can be no history of the past as it actually did happen; there can

only be historical interpretations, and none of them final, and every

generation has to frame its own" Karl Popper
History deals not only with the lives of great individuals... it may be said
to consist of the pieces of the lives of millions of smaller men and
women who have left no name but have left a contribution" A.L. Rowse
"A history in which every particular incident that may be true may on
the whole be false" Thomas B. Macaulay
"If you want to understand yesterday, you have to search today" Pearl
Buck
"History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with
courage, need not be lived again" Maya Angelou
"Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it" Edmund Burke

Why should I care about stuff that

happened a long time ago?
Learn how we got to where we are today
Learn the story of our lives (Road map)
Learn from our mistakes

Understanding History
Who wrote it?
Bias
Perspectives / Point of View

Where did it come from?

Word of Mouth
Written text

Why was it written?

Propaganda
Ulterior Motive

Examples of Biased History

Holocaust Denial
Communism vs. Capitalism (Cold War)
Conspiracy Theories
History being written by the winners
Anything anyone writes about history

Elements of History
Historical Significance
Meeting of two worlds (European with North

American)
Cause and Consequence
First Nations peoples culturally/racially abused

Continuity and Change

Treatment of First Nations peoples

Historical Perspective
Viewpoint of First Nations peoples vs.

Eurocentric views

Ranking History
Rank the following events in order from most significant to
least significant:
Women get the Vote
Canadian Confederation
1972 World Summit Series Victory
Universal Health Care
Creation of Canadian Flag
Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Terry Foxs Run
The Battle of Vimy Ridge

What order did you place them in and why?

What we will cover this year:

Canadian Confederation
Creation of the country

Events that Changed and United Canada

Gold rush, new colonies, conflicts

Social issues that created Canada

Rights and freedoms, equality, standard of

living