ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Official history

Official history refers to a version of history that is told and recognized by the government or people in charge of the place or country. Think of it like a mommy or daddy telling a bedtime story, only this time it's the government telling us about the history of their place.

Just like how mommy or daddy might tell a story that is different from what grandma or grandpa tells, different governments can tell different versions of history to suit their interests or beliefs.

When we say "official history", we mean the version that the government wants us to know and believe as true. This involves picking and choosing which events to highlight, how to interpret them, and how to present them to the public.

For example, a government might choose to focus only on the positive things that happened in its history, like its victories and achievements, and ignore or downplay the negative things like wars or oppression.

It's important to know that just because something is presented as "official history" doesn't necessarily mean it's entirely accurate or unbiased. It's always a good idea to research and learn about history from multiple sources to get a more well-rounded perspective.