The Presence of the Past: Popular Uses of History in American Life

Abstract

Introduction: Scenes from a Survey The Presence of the Past: Patterns of Popular Historymaking Using the Past to Live in the Present: Relationships, Identity, Immorality Using the Past to Shape the Future: Building Narratives, Taking Responsibility Experience is the Best Teacher: Participation, Mediation, Authority, Trust Beyond the Intimate Past: Americans and Their Collective Pasts History in Black and Red: African Americans and American Indians and Their Collective Pasts Afterthoughts: Everyone a Historian, by Roy Rosenzweig Afterthoughts: A Participatory Historical Culture, by David Thelen Appendix 1: How We Did the Survey Appendix 2: Tables Notes Index