Year 11 · History · Historical skills
Introduction to historiography
Learners explore how historians' interpretations differ and change over time, using examples such as the 'History Wars' debate about Australia's frontier.
Awaiting educator review. This material was drafted by our content team with AI assistance and is waiting for review by a qualified educator. Please check it suits your child before using it. Created 10 October 2026.
Learning goals
Learners will
- Define historiography and explain why interpretations differ.
- Identify factors that shape historians' interpretations.
- Evaluate competing interpretations using evidence.
Success looks like
- I can explain what historiography means.
- I can identify at least three factors that influence a historian's interpretation.
- I can compare two interpretations of the same event and evaluate them.
The big idea
Historiography is the history of history: the study of how historians have written about the past and how interpretations change.
Historians interpret evidence differently because of the sources available to them, the questions they ask, their methods, their values and the time in which they write. New evidence, such as newly opened archives or archaeological finds, can also change interpretations.
Different schools of thought emphasise different factors. For example, some historians focus on political leaders and events, others on economic forces, social groups, culture or gender.
A well-known Australian example is the debate about frontier history. In 1968 the anthropologist W. E. H. Stanner described a 'Great Australian Silence' about First Nations peoples in Australian history writing. From the 1970s, historians such as Henry Reynolds researched frontier conflict and Aboriginal resistance. In the late 1990s and 2000s, some writers challenged aspects of this work, sparking public debate often called the 'History Wars'. First Nations historians and communities have contributed essential perspectives throughout.
Contestability does not mean every interpretation is equally valid. Interpretations must be judged by how well they use evidence, consider counter-evidence and reason logically.
In senior history, you are expected to identify historians' arguments, explain why they differ and form your own supported judgement.
Worked examples
Explaining a difference
Two historians write about the Industrial Revolution. One stresses rising living standards; the other stresses exploitation of workers. Why might they differ?
- Different evidence: one may use wage and price data; the other, testimonies of workers.
- Different time frames: long-term averages versus short-term experiences.
- Different values and questions: economic growth versus social justice.
Answer: They use different evidence, time frames and questions, leading to different emphases.
Evaluating interpretations
How would you decide which of two interpretations is more convincing?
- Identify each historian's main argument.
- Examine the evidence each uses and how representative it is.
- Check whether they address counter-evidence.
- Consider their context and purpose.
- Reach a judgement, explaining your reasons.
Answer: Judge by quality and range of evidence, engagement with counter-arguments and logical reasoning.
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
What is historiography?
The study of how history has been written and interpreted — Historiography examines interpretations of the past.
Which factor can change historical interpretations?
New evidence becoming available — New archives and discoveries often prompt reinterpretation.
Who coined the phrase the 'Great Australian Silence' in 1968?
W. E. H. Stanner — Stanner used the phrase in his 1968 Boyer Lectures.
Contestability means…
interpretations can be challenged and must be judged on evidence — Interpretations are debated, but evidence and reasoning determine their strength.
Re-examining an established interpretation in light of new evidence is called…
revisionism — Revisionism is a normal part of historical scholarship.
The public debate about Australia's frontier history in the late 1990s and 2000s is often called the History ____.
Wars — It is commonly called the History Wars.
A historian's argument or explanation about the past is an ____.
interpretation — Interpretations are evidence-based arguments.
Which historian's research from the 1970s focused on frontier conflict and Aboriginal resistance? (surname)
Reynolds — Henry Reynolds's work includes The Other Side of the Frontier (1981).
Watch out for
- Students sometimes think that if historians disagree, the past is 'unknowable'. Many facts are well established; debate usually concerns significance, causation and interpretation.
- Some treat historiography as name-dropping. The skill is explaining why interpretations differ and evaluating them.
Tips for parents
- The weight given to historiography varies between state and territory courses; check the relevant syllabus or study design.
- Frontier history can be sensitive. Encourage respectful engagement with First Nations historians, community knowledge and local perspectives.
- Discuss how a current event might be interpreted differently in 50 years.
Go further
- Compare two textbook accounts of the same event from different decades and explain the differences.
- Write a 400-word response evaluating two competing interpretations of a historical event.
- Listen to a historian's public lecture or podcast and summarise their argument and evidence.