Week 2: Presentist & Prescriptive

Question 1

Mix and Match

a. Presentist
b. Prescriptive

1. is about making the past feel relevant to today by seeing connections to our current concerns.
2. is about using lessons from the past to give advice or ideas for what we should do today.

Answer 1

A - 1
B - 2

Question 2

Presentist or Prescriptive

Looking at the past through “today’s eyes.” Historians using this approach try to understand past events by comparing them to things we care about or know today.

Answer 2

Presentist

Question 3

Presentist or Prescriptive

Example: if we’re worried about pollution now, a ____________ historian might look back at how people in history dealt with pollution.

However, one drawback is that we sometimes judge the past by today’s standards, which might not always be fair or accurate.

Answer 3

presentist

Question 4

Presentist or Prescriptive

Explanation: is like giving advice based on history. Historians using this approach don’t just study what happened; they suggest ways we can learn from it to make better choices now or in the future.

Answer 4

Prescriptive

Question 5

Presentist or Prescriptive

If we’re studying deforestation hundreds of years ago, a ______________ approach might ask, “How did this impact the environment like it does today?” It’s a way of seeing past events in light of modern issues, but it can be a bit biased because people back then didn’t see the world the way we do now.

Answer 5

presentist

Question 6

Presentist or Prescriptive

Learning lessons from history to make suggestions for the future

Answer 6

Prescriptive

Question 7

Presentist or Prescriptive

When we use a _______________ explanation, we’re looking at what people did in the past and asking, “What can we learn from this to help us solve problems today?”

Answer 7

prescriptive

Question 8

Presentist or Prescriptive

Understanding the past with today’s issues in mind.

Answer 8

Presentist

Question 9

Presentist or Prescriptive

Learning from the past to improve the future.

Answer 9

Prescriptive

Question 10

Define a Presentist approach to environmental history

Answer 10

An approach in environmental history where past events are interpreted through the perspective of current issues, values, or concerns.

This means understanding historical events with today’s environmental knowledge and priorities, even if those concerns weren’t relevant at the time.

Question 11

Define a Prescriptive approach to environmental history

Answer 11

A prescriptive explanation uses historical analysis to suggest actions or solutions for current or future environmental issues. It focuses on identifying lessons from the past that can inform decision-making and policy today, with the goal of improving environmental outcomes in the future.

Question 12

Mix and Match

a. Presentist
b. Prescriptive

1. Using the past to recommend actions for the future
2. Interpreting the past with today’s perspective.

Answer 12

Presentist = Interpreting the past with today’s perspective.

Prescriptive = Using the past to recommend actions for the future.