Historians Disagree

These essays provide a brief introduction to the changing interpretations of a historical period and various approaches to history.

Historians Disagree: Atlantic World History — Volume 1, Chapter 1
by Elise A. Mitchell, Swarthmore College
How have historians studied the circulation of people, cultures, politics, knowledge, and trade around the Atlantic Ocean region?

Historians Disagree: Indigenous History and the Early Republic — Volume 1, Chapter 6
by Lori J. Daggar, Ursinus College
What approaches do historians take to writing the histories of Indigenous people in North America from 1790-1850?

Historians Disagree: Reconstruction — Volume 1, Chapter 12
by Gregory P. Downs, University of California, Davis
Why did historical accounts of Reconstruction change dramatically over the course of the twentieth century?

Historians Disagree: Imperialism — Volume 2, Chapter 3
by Naoko Shibusawa, Brown University
Have historians viewed late nineteenth century U.S. overseas expansion as an unusual or representative phenomenon in the nation’s history?

Historians Disagree: New Deal — Volume 2, Chapter 8
by Kim Phillips-Fein, Columbia University
Why have historians disagreed about the nature and meaning of the New Deal?

Historians Disagree: Vietnam War — Volume 2, Chapter 12
by David Parsons, California State University, Channel Islands
What diverse approaches and assumptions have historians brought to studying the Vietnam War?

Historians Disagree: Neoliberalism — Volume 2, Chapter 14
by Kim Phillips-Fein, Columbia University
What is neoliberalism as a historical concept?