ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Historiography of the United States

Historiography of the United States means the way people write and understand the history of the United States. Think of history as a big storybook filled with stories about what happened a long time ago. Historiography is how people write and understand those stories.

Sometimes people tell different stories about the same thing, and that's okay! One person might remember something differently than another person, and that's why people can disagree about history. Just like when you and your friend have different memories of something you did together.

When we write about history, we use evidence to make sure our stories are as accurate as possible. Evidence can be things like old letters, pictures, or even artifacts like old tools or toys. Sometimes we have to guess what happened based on the evidence we have, but we try our best to make sure our stories are as close to the truth as possible.

Historiography of the United States includes stories about the people who lived here before it was even called the United States, like Native Americans. It also includes stories about how people came to America from Europe and other places and started living here. We also tell stories about important events in United States history, like the American Revolution and the Civil Rights Movement.

Scientists who study history are called historians and they spend a lot of time reading and writing about the past. They ask questions and try to figure things out, just like you do in school. They also work hard to make sure the stories they write are true and accurate.