The biographical approach to history: A theoretical and practical examination of its applicability in the classroom

Studies reveal that most Americans do not view their experience with history in the classroom favorably, yet they continue to like history. Boring classrooms are not the product of history's uninspiring content, but instead the consequence of the discipline's failure to present that content effectively to the students. In the last half of the twentieth century, practitioners of history have abandoned the humanistic "story" of mankind which is inherent in history for the scientific approach of the social sciences. Metahistorians as diverse as Karl Marx and Arnold Toynbee have recognized the legitimacy of historical study which focuses on the individual, while numerous psychological studies testify to the mind's affinity for the structure that stories provide. Most notably, The Bradley Commission on History in Schools (1988) has argued vociferously for a return to "story" and biography.;The literature on the biographical approach generally concentrates on its applicability to American history, especially on the elementary and university levels. The literature on the biographical approach is sparse in the area of world history and discussions of its implementation on the secondary level are almost nonexistent. The literature in support of the biographical approach is noticeable for the absence of case studies which offer statistical and student anecdotal evidence to support its claims.;There is a consensus among historians, educational theorists, and classroom practitioners that the biographical approach to history has the ability to reinvigorate the contemporary classroom. It has been the purpose of this study to act upon that consensus and implement engaging methodologies in the secondary classroom that focus on biography. This study is a step toward remedying the void that currently exists in the literature on the biographical approach by concentrating on the applications of biography to world history and by providing statistical and anecdotal records supporting their effectiveness.