Breathing Life into History
Techniques for making history come alive
© Lyn Michaud
May 12, 2007
Finding connections with history brings the past into the present to allow greater understanding of what people experienced and the events shaping our world.
Sparking interest in history requires more than studying history books and memorizing lists of facts. Avid historians want to share the truth about the past, they want others to be excited about the past and have a genuine interest in learning more. Three techniques for making history come alive are finding connections, experiencing the culture and walking in the footsteps of history.
Connections:
The bridge connecting the present to the past is built on interest and personal connections by visiting historical locations, learning what happened in specific locations in the past, learning customs through participation, talking to people who have lived history and listen to stories. Nursing home residents enjoy sharing what life was like when they were children.
If a person loves automobiles in any shape or form, he or she will enjoy learning the history of vehicles and personal travel. Some of the best stories to capture interest are myths and legends; in these stories the actions and experiences of heroes and heroines reach proportions not learned with bare facts. Some legends have become like fishing stories where the fish grows bigger with every telling, but they have the element of truth and spark interest in the time period and real stories about real people. A person can find a character to relate to in any time period throughout history if they learn about someone who has similar interests or characteristics. Some museums capitalize on this by assigning a historic identity to each visitor.
The children’s librarian or reference librarian at any library can help find books on interesting topics including local history. People who love pictures and paintings will enjoy looking through an oversize book with many pictures provides a snapshot view of history. Details often provide period costume, activities, location and important events.
To complete the connection children and adults can enhance what they learned with an “if I’d been there” story. No matter the age, a person can tell what they would have experienced and draw pictures to go with the story. The story can be made into a memory book by adding a cover and creative title.
Experiencing History:
Costumes and props can be used for more than Halloween or Masquerade parties, nothing makes history come alive like dress up. During the study of a particular period in history, having costumes to be able to create similar clothing and learn social customs. For instance, during the 17th and 18th centuries European girls learned embroidery, gardening and household management and boys learned swordplay or fencing, agriculture management and both girls and boys learned courtly behavior (proper manners). Pretending what life might have been like helps bring the subject alive and helps children absorb the information.
Re-enactment is becoming a popular pastime for young and old. Avid historians act out Civil War Battles, the life of mountain men and Renaissance culture. Highland Festivals expose interested individuals to Scottish Clan living and sports. While many of these festivals are entertainment venues, they can provide important clues to life at certain time periods or in other cultures by generating interest in the period or subject.
Walking in the footsteps of history:
No matter where a person lives, history waits to be discovered. Museums, historic landmarks and historic societies have staff to share the history of the area. People lived, worked and played everywhere. Vacations can be a great time to learn local history by finding books written by local authors or visiting historic landmarks.
History for the Future: “I was there in the 21st century!”
At this very moment we live the history of the future; current events and experiences will be passed down for generations. Everyone from this generation will remember the meaning of September 11th. Preserving this information is not just the job of historians. Anyone can keep a journal and cut out newspaper clippings to preserve important items and life defining moments.
History is more than preserving the past and learning where we come from. History can touch us in the present and be our memories in the future. Instead of learning to dread the dull facts, learn what life was like, live history, breathe history.