More than just dates, names, and places, history is the study of the human condition. HIS-100 teaches students to understand human behavior through the thoughtful examination of different types of historical sources. The study of history is a living subject, always changing as new discoveries and interpretations are presented. This course examines the process of investigating and writing about history through analysis of sources and the presentation of this analysis.
History as a living, evolving discipline
The course explicitly frames history as a living subject that changes as new discoveries and interpretations emerge, rather than a fixed set of facts to memorize — a genuine reorientation for students who arrive expecting history to be static.
Source analysis as the foundation of historical writing
HIS-100 grounds all historical writing in the genuine analysis of different types of historical sources, teaching students that credible historical arguments emerge from evidence, not assumption or narrative convenience.
Key topics in HIS100
- Types of historical sources
- Investigating and writing about history
- Historical interpretation and analysis
- The evolving nature of historical knowledge
- Presenting historical analysis in writing
- Foundations for further history coursework
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Worked example: history as an evolving interpretation, not a fixed record
- Static view: Treating history as a fixed collection of dates and facts to be memorized
- HIS-100's view: Recognizing that new sources and interpretations genuinely reshape historical understanding over time
- Lesson: HIS-100 teaches that engaging with history well means engaging with this genuine evolution, not treating any single account as permanently settled
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Frequently asked questions
Historical understanding genuinely does change as new sources are discovered and as historians apply new interpretive lenses to existing evidence, meaning what was considered settled historical knowledge decades ago is often revised or reframed today. HIS-100 teaches this living-subject framing because it accurately reflects how the discipline actually works, preparing students to engage critically with historical claims rather than treating any single narrative as permanently fixed.
Genuine historical arguments are built on evidence drawn from primary and secondary sources, and a student who can only recite facts without knowing how to evaluate and interpret the sources those facts came from cannot actually construct or evaluate historical arguments credibly. HIS-100 centers source analysis because this analytical skill is what transfers to every subsequent history course, not the specific facts covered in any one course.