A lot of students including myself would wonder why in our increasingly future-oriented

society, is there a need to study the past? or If history is more than just a collection of

names, dates, places, and significant events from the past?

History, however, is much more than that. The goal of a historian is not to gather "facts" about

the past, but rather to gain insight into the ideas and realities that shaped the lives of men and

women in previous societies. But, in either case, studying the people of the past teaches us about

the rich diversity of human experience. The study of history is the study of human beliefs and

desires, practices and institutions.

However, for architecture students, the Study of history is so important and needed because; to

begin, a careful examination of the past can reveal a great deal about how we came to be who we

are. We study history to learn about the origins of modern institutions, ideas, values, and

problems. Second, the effort we put into grappling with earlier societies' worldviews teaches us

to see the world through different lenses. In our increasingly complex and multicultural society,

the ability to recognize the meaning of events from perspectives other than our own is

invaluable. Understanding how historical events shaped the complex problems we face today can

help us make informed decisions about our future.

Also, the majority of architecture students don’t study so much history in order to have a career

in history. Notwithstanding, the skills required to write an effective history paper — reading

critically, thinking analytically, arguing persuasively, writing clearly, and organizing ideas

logically — will be useful to students wherever their academic interests lead them and whatever

career path they choose.

Most students learn about history for the first time in a textbook assigned for their class. As a

result, they may believe that "learning history" entails passively absorbing the narrative

presented, whereas the documents they read — whether in a sourcebook, online, or embedded in

a textbook — merely provide examples that illustrate that narrative. The truth is quite the

opposite: history, whether found in a textbook, a monograph, or an article in a scholarly journal,

emerges from evidence found in primary source documents and artifacts. In other words,

evidence comes first, and the historian's job is to evaluate and organize it.

The following are the most important skills for critical historical thinking to help us understand

why architectural students study so much history:

● To gather historical evidence: In evaluating historical evidence, one should always

consider the following basic questions; Who created the artifact or document? Who was

the intended audience, and why was the source created or written? Consider the author's

use of language to uncover biases, points of view, and unspoken assumptions. As one

works with their sources also, consider whether the evidence you're thinking about is

relevant to your topic. For example, a book about the different architecture elements

would not be relevant to a paper on Ancient buildings during the Middle Ages. Consider

whether your evidence is adequate to prove your point. When using statistical evidence,

for example, the sample size is critical.

● For Comparison: Comparing different papers to be sure of exact facts and also see if

similar beliefs are the same is necessary in the study of history. Historians almost never

rely entirely on evidence from a single source. Comparing sources assists historians in

determining "what happened"; if several sources recount an event in the same way, we

can feel a little more confident in the story they tell, especially if those accounts are
 written by people from different backgrounds or with opposing viewpoints. Where

sources disagree, we can often learn about the authors' beliefs, biases, and points of view.

Considering multiple perspectives on the same event can shed light on important

historical issues such as gender roles, social and economic class differences, religious

beliefs and cultural practices, and so on.

● For Contextualization: Finding the context of what happened in a particular time in

history, what happened to the people, what happened at the event and what is unique to

the historical event, can be said to be an essential element in critical thinking about

history. For instance, a historian interested in nineteenth-century architecture would not

examine only the battle of styles and how the early 19th century building designs were

typically based on Roman or Greek architecture - known as 'Federal style' or 'Greek

Revival'. A historian would also consider such contextual questions as: the engineering of

architecture and how great changes were being introduced in industry during that period,

also, the possibilities of cast iron and steel in the building of multi-storey unit

constructions? How during the century great changes occurred in the provision of

dwellings. Historians do not study events in isolation; rather, they attempt to comprehend

the people and events of the past in the context of the unique historical context that

shaped them.

● For Causation: Historians are also interested in causal issues. The historical events you

will be studying and writing about almost never have a single cause, and historians avoid

using simplistic cause-and-effect relationships to explain events. However, correlation

and causation are two different terms to be noted as a historian. Do proper research on the
 causes of events and how they come to be. Two events happening at the same time

doesn’t equate to them being correlated.

● To understand Continuity and Change over Time: The relationship between

continuity (things that remain the same over time) and change is of particular interest to

historians. For example, a historian evaluating the continuity and change in building

materials in Nigeria from mud and rammed earth to Concrete and Cement in recent time.

● For Interpretation: Historical sources must be interpreted; it is the historian's

responsibility to determine what the sources can teach us. Recognizing how historians

interpret primary sources is essential when approaching secondary sources — books and

articles written by historians — critically. Interpretation of peoples works, their sources,

the kind of people they were, how and where they lived, all tends to influence history.

Understanding the historical perspective from which a historian approaches the past

provides an important critical perspective for evaluating his or her work.

● To know the different Periodization: Being able to classify happenings into similar eras

could be said as periodization. It is useful to be able to talk about “Gothic” or “Classical

era,” but, because history is concerned with both change and continuity, determining

when a specific period began or ended must inevitably be arbitrary. When considering

periodization, much depends on the type of history being considered (political, economic,

social, and so on) and which events are identified as significant "turning points."

● To help in Argumentation: History is needed in the skill of arguing, it’s not only about

recording facts but consistent arguments to evaluate sources. As a history student, you

will be concerned with argumentation skills in two ways. First, as you read secondary

sources, you must critically evaluate the authors' arguments: What is the author's point of
 view? What evidence does he or she use to back up that claim? Is your argument logical,

plausible, and convincing? Furthermore, in your writing assignments, you will be

expected to construct an argument in support of a thesis using evidence from your

sources.

● For Synthesis: Synthesis is the most complex and difficult critical thinking skill to

master in your history studies, as it draws on all of the other historical thinking skills. It

entails analyzing and evaluating multiple sources, investigating their interrelationships,

and developing a new perspective on the topic under consideration. Many historical

assignments, particularly research papers, require synthesis. To write a research paper,

you must identify sources relevant to your topic, assess their usefulness, and synthesize

the information they contain. You will need to evaluate both primary and secondary

sources that may provide conflicting information and points of view, as well as work with

biased, imperfect, or ambiguous sources. Finally, you must develop a thesis that reflects

the conclusion you reached as a result of your investigation of these disparate historical

sources, as well as organize and present an argument in support of that thesis in a

systematic and clear manner.

WHY DO ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS STUDY SO

MUCH HISTORY?

NAME: ADERINSOLA ADEBUKOLA ADEAGBO

EDMP21/22/H/0727

COURSE CODE: ARC 605