During Unit One, we looked at some of the foundations of public history. We paid particular attention to the reasons that audiences look to the past, we examined public historians’ methods of interpretation, and we identified material culture as especially important in the practice of public history. With this new understanding and set of questions as background, write a 4 to 5 page reflective paper about how, when, and why you connect with the past. Choose an artifact, a place, or a regular event that makes you think about your connection to the past. Describe it’s specific meaning to you. How might you offer an interpretation of this thing, place, or event to a broader audience –whether that’s just your friends or extended family.
To write this paper, think about the findings from The Presence of the Past and the description of engaged community research in the article about Shared Inquiry; think about Tilden’s Principles and how they have inspired modes of communication and interpretation; think about the emotional impact that things and places can have and the beliefs we assign to them. How do these readings help you think about your own connections to the past –whether personal or national, recent or distant? How does reflecting on your personal connections with the past help you begin to define public history?
Your paper must be double spaced and use Times New Roman, 11 point type. Include footnotes when you refer to any course readings or other materials.
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