Thinking about Historical Significance and the South African

Thinking about Historical Significance and the South African War Prof Johan Wassermann Grade 10 History Teachers Kedar Lodge 19. 10. 2019

School History vs. Academic History The orientations of School History 1. Memory discipline 2. Disciplinary discipline 3. Critical history

Disciplinary Discipline & CAPS Concepts In the study of History, the following concepts are pertinent: • Historical sources and evidence: History is not the past itself. It is the interpretation and explanation of information from various sources. Evidence is created when sources are used to answer questions about the past. • Multi-perspectivity [Empathy]: There are many ways of looking at the same thing. These perspectives may be the result of different points of view of people in the past according to their position in society, the different ways in which historians have written about them, and the different ways in which people today see the actions and behaviour of people of the past. • Cause and effect: This is the reason for events and the results of them. The consequences of something drive future events and help explain human behaviour. • Change and continuity: Over a period of time, it is possible to contrast what has changed and what has remained the same. Closely related contrasts that are used to teach history are ‘similarity and difference’, ‘related to then and now’, which help to make sense of the past and the present. • Time and chronology: History is studied and written in time sequence. It is important to be able to place events in the order in which they happened. Timelines are often used to develop this concept. Not hierarchical, unitary in nature and non-linear in operation. GAPS!

ND 2 PROCEDURAL / ORDER ST CONCEPTS & SUBSTANTIVE / 1 ORDER CONCEPTS OUTSIDE OF CAPS AS 2 nd ORDER HISTORICAL THINKING CONCEPTS • Historical Significance – what is important in history and why? Who decides it is important? • Understand moral dimensions of historical interpretations – what responsibilities do the past (crimes, sacrifices, actions) impose on us today? 1 st ORDER HISTORICAL THINKING CONCEPTS • “Content Knowledge” = first order historical thinking concepts (Anglo, Boer, War, South Africa, Afrikaner, concentration camps, etc)

Teacher: Morning Grade 10 History Learners: Morning teacher Teacher: Today we are going to start with a new exciting section – the South African War also known as the Anglo-Boer War Learner 1: Teacher, why should we study this? Chorus: Yes teacher, why should we know about this? In pairs … craft your response to the learners

PHASE: GRADES 10 -12 TERM 4: GRADE 10 Topic 6: The South African War and Union How did the period 1899– 1910 shape 20 th century South Africa? LOOK AT CAPS SECTION ON SOUTH AFRICAN WAR

Teacher: Okay Grade 10, now that why we have to study the South African War let us look what we will actually be studying. Chorus: I want to know about de Wet, Spioenkop, bombs, cannons, guns, spies, Kitchener, Magersfontein, the role of my ancestors in the war, Sol Plaatje, … Teacher: Sorry, but you will not really study all of that. Learner 7: But who then decides what we must study? And, why did they settle on what you showed us? Craft a response to Learner 7 by using the think, pair, share method.

Partington’s model on historical significance What makes an event historically significant is dependent upon the following factors: • Importance – to people living at the time • Profundity – how deeply people’s lives were affected by it • Quantity – how many lives were affected • Durability – for how long people’s lives were affected • Relevance – the extent to which the event has contributed to an increased understanding of present life

Dawson’s model on historical significance Reasons for a person being significant. If s/he: changed events at the time they lived improved lots of people’s lives – or made them worse. changed people’s ideas. had a long lasting impact on their country or the world. had been a really good or a very bad example to other people of how to live or behave.

Counsell’s model on historical significance An event/development is historically significant if they are: Remarkable – it was remarked upon by people at the time and/or since Remembered – it was important at some stage in history within the collective memory of a group or groups Resulted in change – it had consequences for the future Resonant – people like to make analogies with it; it is possible to connect with experiences, beliefs or situations across time & space Revealing – of some or other aspect of the past

Thinking about Historical Significance and the South African War SO WHAT?