But history is neither watchmaking nor cabinet construction. It is an endeavor toward better understanding.
Marc BlochRead
The historian is, by definition, absolutely incapable of observing the facts which he examines.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Historians cannot witness events directly, making their accounts inherently subjective.
In this quote, Marc Bloch emphasizes the inherent limitations of historians, who, due to their temporal distance from the events they study, cannot observe the facts directly. Instead, historians rely on interpretations, narratives, and evidence that are influenced by their own perspectives, highlighting the subjective nature of historical inquiry.
Themes
HistorySubjectivityInterpretationEvidencePerspective
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture about the nature of historical writing, you might quote Bloch to illustrate how historians work.
More from Marc Bloch
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I deliberately did not read anything about the Vietnam War because I felt the politics of the war eclipsed what happened to the veterans. The politics were irrelevant to what this memorial was.
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If you seek Hamilton's monument, look around. You are living in it. We honor Jefferson, but live in Hamilton's country, a mighty industrial nation with a strong central government.
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I think that often in the United States we're very blind to the ways that history lives in the present.
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This above all makes history useful and desirable; it unfolds before our eyes a glorious record of exemplary actions.
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No big modern war has been won without preponderant sea power; and, conversely, very few rebellions of maritime provinces have succeeded without acquiring sea power.
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It was a requirement by the veterans to list the 57,000 names. We're reaching a time that we'll acknowledge the individual in a war on a national level.
Maya LinRead