Chapter 1
An Introduction to Primary History
Chapter objectives
âą the importance of history
âą what does history look like?
âą what is history all about?
âHistoryâ, according to Henry Ford, in an article in the Chicago Tribune on 25 May 1916, âis more or less bunkâ. Interviewed at the time of the First World War, his famous statement is accompanied by the observation that âthe men who are responsible for the present war in Europe know all about historyâ. Within this context, and considering how horrific the war, that was underway, was, this last point is arguably true, especially from the standpoint of an industrial modernist. These men knew their history and were still prepared to ignore it and inflict more pain and misery upon the people of Europe and the wider world. However, Fordâs initial point, âHistory is more or less bunkâ, when taken as an isolated statement, as it often is, demands further examination.
This chapter aims to establish the importance of history, what history looks like in primary schools and, indeed, explore what history is actually all about.
So, what is history?
The Roman philosopher Cicero is credited with defining history as the âwitness that testifies to the passing of time, it illuminates reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in daily life and brings us tidings of antiquityâ (1889). This is a significant reference. It refers to a number of attributes of history that are particularly pertinent. The explicit links to âdaily lifeâ and ârealityâ, serve as recognition of the impact of the past upon our everyday lives, and how the events of the past not only shape our reality, but also inform our conditions and reactions in our day-to-day lives. The phrases âvitalizes memoryâ and âtidings of antiquityâ can be seen as recognition of our own personal engagements with history, whether they be those of personal histories, living memories, a personal nostalgia, links to your local area or your family history.
English Historian, R. G. Collingwood explains that âthe value of history ⊠is that it teaches us what man has done and thus, what man isâ (1946). A feeling of learning from the past pervades this definition and is further supported by E. H. Carr, who explains that âthe function of the historian is neither to love the past nor emancipate himself from the past, but to master and understand it as the key to the understanding of the presentâ (1961), which is evidence still further of the belief that the past has much to tell us of our own lives and that of our futures.
More recently, popular historians have offered their views as to what history is. TVâs Dan Snow, who through the multifaceted âHistory Hitâ, brings history to a large audience, tells us that âhistory is everything that has ever happened on the planetâ (HistoryHit.com).
Lucy Worsley, chief curator at Historic Royal Palaces, who is a well-known historian through her numerous books and television series, alludes to historical enquiry when she tells us that âif we reach out a hand across the centuries, we find that our ancestors are very much like us in the ways they lived, loved and diedâ (2011). Reaching out a hand suggests the investigative nature of asking questions and being involved in the process of finding out about the past. While Suzannah Lipscomb offers the idea that history is about understanding yourself, she is recalling the ideas of Collingwood, when she posits that âhistory is the story of who we are and how weâve got to be there. So it is fundamentally important in our sense of ourselvesâ (Lipscomb cited in Sanderson 2013).
For historians, the study of the past is a puzzle that leads to a greater understanding of our world. The study of the characters of the past, their decision-making and the impact of those decisions upon our lives can be seen as the crux of what history is.
Why study history?
Pause for thought
Why should children study history?
Why is history in the primary school curriculum important?
The relevance of studying history is paramount to our understanding of the world. The discipline of history means that learners become inquisitive, and they are keen to examine the past and are diligent and thorough in their work. Their driven passion for history is forged through their understanding of the subject and a curiosity in examining the ways in which the past is represented. Studying history develops skills and sensibilities that are transferable and will have an influence in other aspects of our lives and those of our children.
History is all around us. It is inescapable from the badges on our school uniforms, to the emblems of major companies, the insignia of the Royals on various household products, pillar boxes as well as the crests of many of our favourite football teams, a sense of the past is a large and relevant part of our everyday lives. Even the recent phenomenon of âselfiesâ can be seen as being part of this tradition of recording memories and documenting events. Perhaps not every âselfieâ is essential, and some may never leave the device they were taken on, but some âselfiesâ record the special moments in peopleâs lives, whether that is a significant birthday, such as an eighteenth, or a memorable night out with friends.
Documents, in all their forms, make up the raw materials for historians to study the past and piece together the lives and times of our forefathers. This means that our understanding of the past begins with each individual. For instance, how would you describe yourself to a new acquaintance? Chances are, your response will be steeped in the experiences you have had, whether they be travel, food, musical tastes or reading habits. It is your personal history that makes you you and thatâs what defines you. Of course, we are talking about you now in the twenty-first century as you read this, but the history of the world is made up of millions of personal histories. Some have combined to become the histories of major events and celebrated historical occasions of the past.
Types of history
There are different types of histories that we can explore. We have already made mention of a few of these (personal history, local history). Some of these histories are concerned with particular groups of people, so you may study, for example; womenâs history, childrenâs history, black history, American history or modern European history. In studying these areas, we will investigate political points of view, peopleâs struggles with authority and disputes over land and rights. Other studies in history may be more concerned with domestic life in the past. We may look at living con ditions, day-to-day life, toys, leisure pursuits and pastimes and the experiences of âordinaryâ people. This has come to be termed as social history.
Pause for thought
What are your experiences of aspects of history in your education?
What approaches to the teaching of history have you observed and encountered?
Recognition of these types of histories combine to inform us about our current position in the world and how we come to be where we are. An understanding of the integrity of the subject of history is paramount in understanding why studying history is important in the first place.
School history
As we have seen, history is the story of our past, as defined and created by the actions and decisions of those that have gone before us. In its simplest form, history is the what, who, when, where and why of the past. What happened, who did it happen to, when did it happen and where did it happen? This is then reflected upon, discussed and analysed as we ask, why did it happen?
In primary schools, there is an opportunity for history lessons to focus upon the exciting exploits and adventures of the people of the past. These stories can capture the childrenâs imaginations and they can throw themselves, wholeheartedly, into the life and times of these colourful characters that populate a world full of intrigue, war, power struggles, myths and legends and with danger at every turn.
Pause for thought
Which characters from history would you focus on? Which exploits and adventures, from history, do you remember from your history lessons at school? Why do these people stand out? Can you think of someone from history that you have studied in the past?
However, we need to exercise caution at this point, for while history can be seen as the stories of the past. We need to also provide opportunities for the children to not only be immersed in the stories of the past, but also become engaged in the processes of finding out about the past. Good primary school history should see the pupils working as historians.
The content of history and the process of history
The subject of history can be seen in two ways. First, there is the knowledge associated with certain events and topics. These are facts and details of the past, the kings and queens, explorers and lives of significant people at certain periods of time. We can think of this information as the dates, key facts and knowledge of historical points of reference that would be useful in a pub quiz. Knowing and recalling facts and figures is certainly impressive and may be associated with âbeing cleverâ, but that is not the whole story of being a historian. The second element as to what the subject of history is concerned with is the understanding of historical events. This means understanding why something happened, what caused it as well as understanding the consequences of the actions of others in the past. This understanding comes through enquiry and investigation with historians engaged in research in order to provide a picture of the past.
This has previously been explored (Russell 2016) with school history seen as a combination of both the content of history and the process of history. The content of history is the subject knowledge, the facts, details and dates, while the process of history is concerned with the âprocessâ of finding out about the past. This involves lines of enquiry, investigations, engaging with source materials and making deductions.
Across a scheme of work, the aim for teachers is to provide opportunities for the children to be involved in both the content and process of history. For example, children at Key Stage 1, who are studying a topic that covers âevents beyond living memoryâ (DfE 2013) may well be learning about the Great Fire of London. In a scheme of work, such as this, the children would learn facts about the Great Fire of London, such as the date the fire started (2 September 1666), the road where it started (an alley off Pudding Lane) and the name of the baker, in whose premises the fire started (Thomas Farriner) but the children may also be asked to investigate the context for the fire, and contributing factors for the spread of the fire and techniques in firefighting. This may lead to looking at the weather conditions, building materials as well as the legacy of the fire, the impact the fire had on the street layout of London, the impact upon fire insurance and firefighting.
Table 1.1 highlights the facts that can be considered as the content of history, along with the lines of enquiry that are in alignment with the ideas of the process of history. These lines of enquiry encourage children to investigate the Great Fire using source materials, making judgements, sifting through evidence and drawing conclusions.
Table 1.1 The Great Fire of London
The history curriculum in primary school
By looking at a topic such as the Great Fire of London means that we have already considered one of the biggest influences as to what primary school history is. The History Programmes of Study: Key Stages 1 and 2 (DfE 2013) is a defining document in shaping the history that occurs in the classroom, which is perhaps why there is so much debate as to what the content of the history curriculum should be and how, for that matter, it should be taught.
The national curriculum
The national curriculum for history as set out in the 2014 curriculum is the product of much debate (Arthur and Philips 2000, Taylor 2013, Russell 2016) and provides clear guidance as to the expectations as to what history should look like in the classroom. The History Programmes of Study: Key Stages 1 and 2 (DfE 2013) outlines a purpose of study that alludes as to much of what we recognize good history teaching to be about. Here the children should encounter âa high-quality history educationâ and will âgain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britainâs past and that of the wider worldâ (DfE 2013). Such documents are often open to interpretation and here the word âcoherentâ could be the catalyst to a number of discussions. It could be included in this document in reference to the findings of the 2011 âHistory for Allâ Ofsted report (Ofsted 2011) that found that while childrenâs subject knowledge was good, their chronological understanding was less secure. By desiring a coherent knowledge within the subsequent curriculum, one can interpret that this is a response to the findings of the document, with coherent knowledge referring to a deeper chronological understanding. This recognition of the strong subject knowledge the children have gained means that another interpretation for the inclusio...