Historians often disagree on the definition of history and what should be considered the end date of the field of “history” and the start date of “current events.” Some historians argue that at least one generation (20 years or so) needs to pass before we can truly understand events from a historical perspective. Other historians argue that we must wait until everybody who remembers a particular event is dead before we can understand that event free from bias. Others argue that we can look at events that occurred yesterday from a historical perspective. Some historians argue that the dividing line does not move with time but should be tied to a specific event like the collapse of the Soviet Union or the rise of the internet.
There is no right or wrong answer to this issue. In this learning block, you will read brief explanations from historians about where they place the dividing line between history and current events. You will also read an article on how you can continue to apply historical skills to current events.
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