History from Below
History From Below
Non-Elite Perspectives in America
The discourse of the powerful takes on the power of the truth. Stated more simply, History is written by the winners. As budding historians it is important to listen for the voices of the non-elite. There are many ways to listen for their voices. One can read about them in the official archives, or in some cases listen to the 'voices' of the non-elite themselves.
As you saw in your reading by E.P. Thompson the non-elite can speak to us in many 'voices': letters, lyrics, images, court records ... the list of possible sources is endless. When examining sources don't settle for the obvious, look for context, allegory (a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning), remember that the sources may have been written by someone hostile to the non-elite subject, and that what is not said can also be more important than what is said.
As an introduction to your task - click the button below.
As you saw in your reading by E.P. Thompson the non-elite can speak to us in many 'voices': letters, lyrics, images, court records ... the list of possible sources is endless. When examining sources don't settle for the obvious, look for context, allegory (a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning), remember that the sources may have been written by someone hostile to the non-elite subject, and that what is not said can also be more important than what is said.
As an introduction to your task - click the button below.
