Historical Thinking & Methods (History 290)
Syllabus Details (Assignments and Policies, updated 18 August 2023)
Course Calendar (updated 18 August 2023)
Primary Source Collections Project, Guidelines, Samples, Rubric
Working Bibliography Project Guidelines, Sample, Rubric
Progress Report Guidelines, Samples, Rubric
Mini-Historiography Project Guidelines
News Stories
Steven Mintz, "Rewriting the Past" (Inside Higher Ed, 7 June 2021)
Town's Statue of Colonial Woman who Killed 'natives' Sparks Debate, (Amelia Mason, NPR, 1 May 2021)
UVA Initiative Looks at Our Relationship with Statues and Memorials (NPR, 17 April 2021)
'Throughline': The 1918 Flu Pandemic Differs from Coronavirus Crisis, NPR, 3 April 2020
How Russia, Poland, and Ukraine Try to Revise WWII History (Dmitry Shlapentokh, Institute of Modern Russia, 18 Feburary 2020)
National Archives and Records Administration: Can we depend upon the NARA to preserve records essential to U.S. History? Three related sources: ICE Detainee Records Schedule Nears Completion (21 June 2019); The National Archives is Deleting Records about Trump's ICE Policies (11 February 2020); Erasing History: The National Archives is Destroying Records about Victims of Trump's ICE Policies (6 February 2020)
American's Ignorance of history is national scandal (Washingtong Post) 20 February 2019
A Reporter's Story About Slavery Leads to a Shocking Discover about Her Roots (NPR, 20 October 2019)
New Podcast Takes a Look at the History of the Electric City (Keystone Edition, VIA, 25 August 2019)
Emma Lazarus and the History Behind Her Poem, "The New Colossus" (NPR, 14 August 2019)
'Throughline' Traces Evangelicals' History on the Abortion Issue (NPR Podcast, 20 June 2019)
White Nationalist Rhetoric Heard Today Echoes America a Century Ago (14 March 2019, NPR)
Honoring the Chapel Hill 9 (NPR, Leoneda Inge, 28 February 2019)
I Saved Every Letter You Wrote Me: The Library of Congress Digitizes Hamilton Reports on how the musical Hamilton has motivated the Library of Congress to make his letters available for study. (NPR, 29 August 2017, Lynn Neary, Morning Edition)
Black U.S. Olympians Won in Nazi Germany only to be Overlooked at Home (NPR, 13 August 2016) reveals why history must always be reexamined.
From Gladiator Duels to Caesar's Last Words: The Myths of Ancient Rome (NPR, 12 August 2016) is an interview of Historian Mary Beard in which she busts myths about Ancient Rome in her book, SPQR
Can historians or political scientists use history to shed light on current events? Hear about "Democratic Activist Says Donald Trump Fits Demagogue Mold" (NPR, 9 December 2015
This opinion piece, "Guenter Schabowski, the Man Who Opened the Wall", from The New York Times, 6 November 2015 explores the connection between historical accident and major events, in this case, the Berlin Wall.
This news story about shark documentaries on a popular channel point out the challenges of believing that documentary films are more reliable than fiction: After Sketchy Science, Shark Week Promises to Turn Over a New Fin(NPR, 6 July 2015)
These two news stories explore the historical context of Confederate flag flying at the South Carolina Capitol grounds: The Complicated History of the Confederate Flag (NPR, 22 June 2015) introduces the history and The Long and Divisive History of the Confederate Flag (NPR, 23 June 2015) offers more historical analysis in the wake of Governor Haley's announcement to call for the removal of the flag. The historical significance of AME Church in Charleston: Denmark Vesey and the History of Charleston's "Mother Emanuel" Church (NPR, 18 June 2015)
Can history be dangerous? Consider this story that reports about "Why a Chinese Government Think Tank Attacked American Scholars" (NPR, 21 May 2015)
Learn about how Rebecca Anderson who took History 298 and 398 turned her project into a publishable, award-winning article in the College of Liberal Arts BlogWe Make History: Student Receives Best ARticle Award
Robert Gates, Secretary of State, discusses his memoir suggests that his emotional attachment to soldiers may have influenced his account? Gates: Obama Made Solid Decisions, but was Swayed by Factious Staff (NPR, 13 January 2014); Gates 'Immediately' Became Emotionally Attached to Troops (NPR 13 January 2014)