TASK
Historical narratives are often themselves history.
How and why does the same historical event, movement, process generate different and at times competing historical narratives?
Use examples from the course materials, your textbook, and our lectures, discuss who is writing, from what position, and to what end, and consider how historical narratives are susceptible to these factors. You may want to investigate the following cases: the Opium Wars, the Macartney Embassy, the Meiji Restoration, and the critique of the yangban, among others.
Why do authors choose specific examples and how do they support their arguments? How does a comparison of different historical narratives enrich your understanding of history?
Choose one case study and answer as many questions as possible in 3-4 pages single spaced (5-7 pages double spaced). Note that your midterm requires both a draft version and a revised, final version In your essay, you should correctly introduce, contextualize, and cite any quote from your readings, textbook, or lectures and explain how any chosen quote supports your argument. Please note that this is not a research paper and extra reading/citation is limited to maximally ONE additional authoritative or scholarly source, if necessary. Be sure to consider some of the techniques you have learned in tutorials while composing your response.
