Day 1: Terminology & Engines of Change
HIST 101/102: U.S. History
What is history, and how do we study it?
Take a moment to write down your definition of "history."
Then share your answer with a neighbor.
A narrative is a connected account of events—a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Unlike a simple list of facts, a narrative explains why things happened and how they connect to each other.
Historians don't just collect facts; they organize them into meaningful stories that help us understand causation and change over time.
-ology: The principles, theory, and history of historical writing
-graphy: Writing of history based on the critical examination of sources
"History is an argument about the past!"
How does history "work"?
Students must understand historiography to analyze and evaluate historical thought!
An inter-connecting set of ideas that shapes and supports how we perceive history
The central question: What is the engine of change?
Moving in a straight line through time
Evolving and changing over time
Moving forward; getting "better"
Most people set rational goals for themselves and seek to achieve them through the exercise of reason and logic.
Determinist theories argue that history is shaped primarily by forces beyond individual human control—whether economic systems, social structures, or psychological drives.
These theories challenge the Rational Human Model by arguing that individuals are constrained by larger historical forces (economics, class, culture) that limit their "rational" choices.
History is shaped primarily by forces beyond individual human agency
Human choices matter, but are constrained by deeper forces:
German philosopher and economist who argued that material conditions—especially the relationship between those who own the means of production and those who labor—are the primary engine of historical change.
For Marx, ideas and politics are shaped by underlying economic structures. History moves through stages (feudalism → capitalism → socialism) driven by class conflict.
Austrian neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis who argued that unconscious drives—especially repressed desires and childhood experiences—shape human behavior.
Applied to history, Freudian analysis suggests that cultural and political developments may be driven by psychological forces that people aren't consciously aware of.
Every so often, a great* man will arise and alter the course of history.
Which framework seems most convincing to you?
Consider alternatives to the Great Man Theory:
What else might be an "engine of change" in history?