Creating a Research Question
Influences on the Choice of Topic
Personal experiences and cultural upbringing can influence a person’s ideas, views, and values and cause them to be drawn to subjects with particular relevance. Developing questions that directly address these qualities in the topic selection process is facilitated by relating personal interests and experiences to historical thinking (Al Ghazali Ab Hamid et al., 2019). Thus, for me, the most disturbing and climactic moment in history provoked a focus on the chosen theme.
The Significance of the Historical Research Question in Relation to the Current Event
Historical research questions can significantly aid in understanding the context and reasons for contemporary events. It can assist us in seeing patterns and trends, comprehending the underlying causes of social and political concerns, and guiding our reactions to recent events. However, the correct understanding of such events, along with correct question development, can be achieved only with a thorough analysis of the sources’ evidence (Al Ghazali Ab Hamid et al., 2019).
The Use of Sources to Finalize the Research Question
The academic articles studied were Al Ghazali Ab Hamid et al. (2019), which is a primary study of the essence of historical thinking, and the secondary Entin (2022) and Miller (2020), based on the original thoughts and writings of figures from the historical period of interest. Evidence in the form of reasoning and historical facts strengthened my confidence in the choice and statement of the question, for even now, one can observe echoes of a problem that has not been completely defeated.
Building Context to Address Questions
The Context of the Historical Event That Influenced the Current Event
The Civil Rights Movement in the late 1950s and 1960s is a historical development that significantly impacted contemporary racial and social justice issues (Miller, 2020). It was a significant social and political movement that aimed to ensure African Americans’ full legal rights and citizenship and eradicate racial discrimination against them.
A Historical Figure or Group’s Participation in the Historical Event
Rosa Parks was one of the pivotal figures in the Montgomery Bus Boycott and a critical event in the Civil Rights Movement. As required by Montgomery, Alabama’s segregation laws, an African American lady, Parks, denied giving up her bus seating place to a white citizen (Entin, 2022).
The Historical Figure or Group’s Motivation to Participate in the Historical Event
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the president of the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA), was a fierce advocate for civil rights (Miller, 2020). The association viewed the Montgomery Bus Boycott as a means of opposing the pervasive systemic racism and segregation in American culture and of bringing attention to the daily injustices experienced by African Americans.
Examining How Bias Impacts Narrative
A Narrative Identified While Researching the History of the Historical Event
The strength of group effort and unity in the struggle for civil rights came to light when examining the history of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Rosa Parks’ resistance on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, catalyzed the boycott, but it was sustained and ultimately successful due to the African American community in Montgomery (Entin, 2022).
Biased Perspectives’ Influence on What Is Known About History
They could make one underestimate the significance of particular events or movements or obfuscate the experiences and viewpoints of oppressed groups. Additionally, they could support prevailing narratives that do not necessarily reflect the complete range of experiences and viewpoints present at a given time and place, or they might propagate myths and biases.
The Perspectives Missing from the Historical Event’s Narrative
Rosa Parks is frequently credited with starting the boycott, but other women likewise played an essential role in the fight for civil rights. Women were frequently in the vanguard of the boycott movement and helped with its organization and support (Miller, 2020). However, the dominant narrative frequently ignores or marginalizes their contributions.
Connecting the Past with the Present
Researching Historical Roots and Understanding the Current Event
One may identify how racial inequality patterns have persisted over time and how they continue to impact the lives of African Americans and other people of color today by looking at the historical legacy of slavery, segregation, and discrimination.
Benefits of Questioning Personal Assumptions, Beliefs, and Values
Questioning our presumptions, convictions, and ideals may be a potent instrument for self-awareness and personal development. We may better understand ourselves and the world around us and spot areas where our thinking may be constrained or skewed by closely examining our firmly held ideas and values.
Benefits of Being a More Historically Informed Citizen
Being a more historically aware citizen can aid us in developing a more complex understanding of and informed response to modern concerns. By comprehending their historical roots, we can acquire insights into the intricate social, political, and economic dynamics at work and develop a more thorough and accurate knowledge of current situations.
References
Al Ghazali Ab Hamid, M., Awang, M. M., Alias, J., & Alí, M. (2019). The relationship of students learning styles and historical thinking. Religación: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, 4(20), 121–128. Web.
Entin, J. L. (2022). The unlikely world of the Montgomery bus boycott: Solidarity across Alabama, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. Alabama Review, 75(3), 262–264. Web.
Miller, K. D. (2020). Composing Martin Luther King, Jr. Publications of the Modern Language Association of America, 105(1), 70–82. Web.