HIS 100 5-2 Activity: Historical Interpretations of Past and Present

Use the provided Module Five Activity Template: Historical Interpretations Word Document to complete this activity.

Overview

Over the past few weeks, you have examined how context, perspective, and bias impact what we know about history and how we talk about it. You also started to make connections between your research question, historical event, and current event. In this activity, you will build upon that work to consider the historical roots of your current event and what the narratives would be like if told from a different perspective.

Prompt

Use the provided Module Five Activity Template: Historical Interpretations Word Document to complete this activity. First, you will reflect on the process of researching the subject of your historical research question and its connection to your current event. You will then consider the impact of bias on our existing knowledge. Finally, you will address how the narratives about your historical and current events would change if told from alternative viewpoints.

Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:

Describe how exploring your research question improved your understanding of the historical roots of your current event.

How did learning more about the subject of your research question help you identify events from the past that contributed or led up to your current event?

Explain how biased perspectives influence what is known about both your historical and current events.

Support your points with relevant course resources.

Propose how the narrative about your historical event might change if it were told from a missing perspective.

Refer to the missing perspective you identified in this week’s discussion. How might this point of view change the story about your historical event? For example, would the narrative focus on different details, or would those details be interpreted differently?

Propose how the narrative about your current event might change if it were told from a missing perspective.

Expand on the missing perspective from criteria three and apply it to your current event. How might your current event be understood differently by examining it from that perspective?

 

HIS 100 Solution: 5-2 Activity: Historical Interpretations of Past and Present

HIS 100
Module Five Activity Template: Historical Interpretations

Describe how exploring your research question improved your understanding of the historical roots of your current event.

When reading my primary and secondary sources, I began to understand how climate change and net–zero emissions have impacted many countries. I have learned that very few countries want to go zero–emission, they would rather stay where they are. Bhutan is the only country so far that has become zero–emission. Global temperatures will rise if we do not
participate in cutting emissions.

Explain how biased perspectives influence what is known about both your historical and current events.

On December 8, 2023, President Joe Biden signed an executive order that pushed the country to clear and removable energy sources. This executive order tackles the climate crisis directly and pushes the country to more of an economically competitive state to create more well–paying jobs for working–class citizens. This created some tension with governments. Political divisions hold a huge bias around my topic and there are very few who cover ground on climate change.

Propose how the narrative about your historical event might change if it were told from a missing perspective.

Climate change is a common topic that is talked about in day–to–day life. The missing perspective of climate change is ordinary people’s voices. Since I have started this project, I have found several new perspectives such as organizations, and governments. These perspectives have changed my understanding of climate change.

Propose how the narrative about your current event might change if it were told from a missing perspective.

One of my secondary sources, “Bhutan: The first carbon–negative country in the world” is written from the perspective of a staff member who works for the organization. Every article I have read includes lots of information and simply states facts about why countries are not pledged to zero–emission. The article goes into detail and gives a different narrative.

---

 

---