Welcome to history. This page gives you a quick overview of this TOK area of knowledge, and four padlets offering quotes, knowledge questions, real-world stories, and important thinkers.
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History: a quick overview
History is the study of the past, providing a lens through which to understand the present and shape the future, and connecting directly to key concepts including evidence, interpretation, and objectivity.
Key figures we’ll meet include E.H. Carr, whose famous adage to study the historian before you study the facts remains one of the most important insights in historical thinking, reminding us that all historical accounts are shaped by the biases of those who constructed them. And Mary Beard’s work on ancient Rome challenged conventional narratives by foregrounding the lives of ordinary people and questioning the assumptions that have long dominated classical scholarship.
Contemporary issues make this area of knowledge both urgent and thought-provoking. Debates about decolonising history highlight the need to rectify historical injustices and reevaluate narratives rooted in colonial perspectives, while discussions about historical responsibility raise profound questions of accountability for past wrongs and their continuing legacy.
As we explore history in TOK, students are invited to analyse the past critically, challenge dominant narratives, and appreciate the complex relationship between evidence, interpretation, and the values that shape our understanding of the world we have inherited.
1 QUOTES Who said “History is Philosophy teaching by example”?
Explore these quotes on history by a wide range of different thinkers. Which quotes are the most and least insightful?
How do they challenge assumptions about the core theme? What do they reveal about links between the this and other aspects of the TOK course?
2 KNOWLEDGE QUESTIONS Can we ‘choose’ to remember history in a certain way?
Exploring knowledge questions is at the heart of TOK, prompting us to reflect on our assumptions and evaluate the reliability of our knowledge.
They give us a focus point for deeper understanding, and play a central role in both the essay and the exhibition assessment tasks.
3 REAL-WORLD STORIES Is history really written by the victors?
Grasp history, see how TOK ideas manifest in the real-world, and support exhibition commentary discussions, via these examples.
They’ll also help you to challenge your assumptions and biases, and become an authentic critical thinker.
4 NOTABLE THINKERS Why did EH Carr say you should study the historian, not the facts?
These thinkers will help you consolidate your understanding of history, and articulate your ideas about the world more clearly.
Draw on them to support exhibition commentary discussions, and add depth and authority to the claims you make about knowledge.
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