historian

Everyday

1. A historian is a person who studies history and writes about the past, using evidence such as documents, objects and buildings. tree →
2. (school) A historian is anyone who does the work of history, like pupils asking questions about the past and checking sources. tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons pupils «think like historians»: they look at primary and secondary sources, ask who made them and why, and compare different accounts. It tells the reader that knowledge of the past comes from evidence. Phrases: «a local historian», «historians believe», «a military historian», «an art historian».

Examples

• Historians study letters and diaries to learn about the past. tree →
• A local historian showed us old photos of our town. tree →
• Historians disagree about why the war began. tree →
• Today we are historians, looking at clues from Roman Britain. tree →
• The historian wrote a book about the Victorian railways. tree →
• Historians use evidence, not guesses. tree →
• To what extent Hook is to blame for his tactics on this occasion is for the historian to decide. tree →

Note

Both «a historian» and «an historian» are seen; «a historian» is more common today. Related: history, historic (important in history), historical (about history). Trap: a historian is not the same as a «storyteller»; historians must check evidence.

In Jewish tradition

In history lessons pupils «think like historians»: they look at primary and secondary sources, ask who made them and why, and compare different accounts. It tells the reader that knowledge of the past comes from evidence. Phrases: «a local historian», «historians believe», «a military historian», «an art historian».

Note

Both «a historian» and «an historian» are seen; «a historian» is more common today. Related: history, historic (important in history), historical (about history). Trap: a historian is not the same as a «storyteller»; historians must check evidence.