In Presence of the Past, Rosenzweig and Thelen compiled a national study of individuals in order to have a better understanding of how history is used at the interpersonal level in day-to-day life. The authors drew from a sample that consisted of a variety of ethnic backgrounds. While the project was certainly important and ambitious, a pool of just 1500 individuals interviewed seems a bit shy to truly get an understanding on the national level of how history is utilized, especially in relation to the American population as a whole.
What I found particularly noteworthy and as a good testament to the importance of personal, microscopic interpretations of history was how one individual may perceive an event differently from another. While this may seem obvious or cliche, it develops a different sentiment in light of historical context. Indeed, such personal reflection is almost certainly overlooked by history teachers or textbooks which presents events in broad, sweeping descriptions (page 38).
Also important and especially interesting is the obvious distinctions between white Americans and other ethnic Americans and how they use history. While whites tend to relate history to their family backgrounds, blacks and Native Americans relate it to not only their families, but their communities as a whole. This seems consistent to a minority mindset. Obviously, being seen and treated as an outcast will undoubtedly create stronger family ties as well as community ties. Still, to see such a mentality perpetrate itself even to the extent as to how such individuals relate to their past seems particularly fascinating.
The Afterthoughts section helps to bring the previous chapters together in a conclusive format. There seems to be a cautious responsibility and obligation for historians to insure that history remains accurate while also moving it beyond the walls of the university and into the public in a professional and accurate yet understandable and relating format that is digestible by the layperson.
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"Indeed, such personal reflection is almost certainly overlooked by history teachers or textbooks which presents events in broad, sweeping descriptions (page 38)."
But how would you incorporate personal reflections in a textbook? Class textbooks, especially high school books, want to pack as much "history" in as they can into one book. It comes down to which is more important, the names and dates of an event or someone's recollection of it. It may not be that it's overlooked, just that personal reflection may have a different place in instruction.
Good point. Perhaps "omitted" is a more appropriate term. Obviously, personal reflection has no place in textbooks--its job is just to present the facts. I was just trying to reiterate the notion that emotion and personal feeling and history seem to be left out. If students are just learning material in order to pass a test, something is wrong. We seem to often get the impression that, as I said, history is digested and regurgitated onto a high school exam and that is about where it ends. Presence of the Past seems to refute that, at least to an extent.
Is accuracy of historical information on monuments even a possibility. This is essential a question of objectivity versus subjectivity. It is quite easy to assume that one's own position is objective and will bring a positive message. Of course, what is uplifting to one, might be a put down to another.
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