Public History Wars, the "One Nation/One People" Consensus, and the Continuing Search for a Usable Past

Launius points out that the emphasis on consensus in US national history has been present from the nation's beginnings, and there is, of course, considerable value in emphasizing the ideals that have brought Americans together as a people rather than focusing on the divisiveness in society. His...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Magazine of history 2013-01, Vol.27 (1), p.31-36
Main Author: Launius, Roger D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Countries
Ethnicity
Exhibitions
Freedom
Gender
Museum exhibitions
National museums
National parks
Power
Race
Search histories
Slavery
Social classes
Social history
United States history
War
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Summary:Launius points out that the emphasis on consensus in US national history has been present from the nation's beginnings, and there is, of course, considerable value in emphasizing the ideals that have brought Americans together as a people rather than focusing on the divisiveness in society. History might be viewed largely as a lesson in civics and a means of instilling in the nation's citizenry a sense of awe and reverence for the nation-state and its system of governance. The rise of the "new social history" in the 1960s, with its emphasis on race, ethnicity, class, gender, and the way groups have wielded power throughout the nation's past, offered a powerful counterweight to the consensus interpretation.
ISSN:0882-228X
1938-2340
DOI:10.1093/oahmag/oas048