Old textbooks are one resource for teaching about the evolution of historical interpretation. Some libraries contain collections of U.S. history textbooks spanning multiple years and some schools even keep older textbooks used in past years. Recently, the author used a book by Kyle Ward entitled "History in the Making: An Absorbing Look at How…

This essay is based on the author's book, "The Palestine Mandate and the Creation of Israel." As the sixtieth anniversary of Israel's independence in May 2008 approaches, that country remains a focal point of world attention. Israel's origins do much to explain why the Arab-Israeli conflict has been so hard to resolve, but also provide a…

History matters. It matters not only because people can learn from the past, but because the present and the future are connected to the past by the continuity of a society's institutions. Today and tomorrow's choices are shaped by the past. And the past can be made intelligible only as a story of institutional evolution. This story focuses on the…

Myths that have grown up and persisted about Canada's involvement in World War II are examined. It is a mythodology heavy in self-congratulation, contemptous of politicians, suspicious of outsiders, and uncertain about the possibilities for Canadian independence in a complicated world. (RM)

Contends that history is a nearly "sense-less" profession because reading is almost the only source of historical understanding. Reviews content related to sensory experiences in college history textbooks. Argues that including language about the senses in historical writing and instruction will enlarge the audience and the field of…

Discusses how psychohistory and psychobiography can be used in graduate and undergraduate history classes to help students grasp the motives for individual and mass actions throughout history, e.g., Why did the British military men make certain tactical decisions in World War I? (RM)

On the Quincentenary of Columbus's first voyage to the Americas, the National Council for Social Studies urges educators to help students comprehend the contemporary relevance of 1492, and provide students with basic, accurate knowledge about the Columbian voyages, their historical setting, and unfolding impact. Recommends information to cover.…

Guiding students through a dramatic exploration of an historical event can elicit strong emotional reactions that can deepen student understanding and interest in the subject matter. This article describes an integrated third grade lesson plan that focuses on Henry Hudson's voyages in the early 1600s. The students take on the roles of Hudson's…

Teachers often play a mistaken notion of lecturing their students about the importance of the past rather than allowing students to discover for themselves the significance of past events. In this article, the author talks about the "detective" strategy he used which strengthens the critical thinking and analyzing skills of his students in their…

Military activities have played a part in shaping the nature of contemporary Canada. The main books dealing with recent Canadian military history that might be of interest to high school students are discussed. (RM)

The microcomputer can be a helpful tool for teaching the basics of historical research. Database management systems are described, strengths and weaknesses of one software package (dBaseII) for historical research are discussed, and a conceptual and practical guide for teaching historical research methods with dBaseII is provided. (RM)

Current developments in military history are reviewed; special attention is given to classroom needs. One argument for incorporating a better understanding of war through responsible classroom teaching is that alternative sources of information often used by students to find out about war are so trivial and misleading. (RM)

Historical dramas, especially war dramas, on television are usually superficial; they provide a simplistic treatment of war. The challenge to teachers--i.e., how they can deal with romanticized history on television--is discussed. (RM)

A conceptual framework and teaching guidelines for biographical history, i.e., centering the study of history in individual lives, are presented. Both the framework and guidelines were derived from a group of philosopher-historians representing a full monistic-pluralistic spectrum of theories: Marx, Weber, Toynbee, Ortega y Gasset, and Dilthey.…

An excellent way to teach history is by focusing on the lives of individual historical figures. History is the story of living persons, who for good or ill have made history as it is. To understand history, students must learn about the men and women who shaped events. (RM)