History Extension
Ethan Auer
Evaluate the reasons for the polarising Western interpretations of Lee Kuan Yew.
Lee Kuan Yew was the Prime Minister of Singapore from 1959-1990. His transformation of the city state into a modern day economic power has been interpreted either as Singapore into a modern day has caused debate. Was he a benevolent dictator whose collectivist approach was rooted in Asian values or should he be known for human rights violations, censorship and other authoritarian policies?
Joshua Barwell
How have changing purposes of different authors affected their perspectives of The First Crusade?
The First Crusade (1096-1099) has never existed as a neutral historical event. This essay looks at how and why it ahs been repeatedly reshaped by the agandas, biases and world view of those who wrote about it.
Zeke Hartnett
How have modern interpretations of Henry VIII changed due to political context and gender?
Henry VIII is a well known English King. This essay focusses on two renowned Tudor historians, David Starkey and Alison Weir and the impact that the political context and gender issues have had on their interpretations.
Patrick Thomson
How have competing historical interpretations shaped global and internal understandings of the Khmer Rhouge regime in Cambodia?
The Khmer Rouge regime ruled Cambodia from 1975-1979 under its leader Pol Pot. Competing interpretations between contemporary and revisionist historians exist. The essay looks at political ideologies, geopolitics, Cold War influence, survivor testimonies, the Western media and tribunal findings.
Lachlan Melloy
How have historians across different periods and with varying perspectives interpreted the ways in which elite Roman women navigated Roman society?
How elite Roman women in the ancient world navigated the constraints and opportunities of tehri society has been an ongoing source of scholarly debate. This essay looks at how and why these debates have occurred and what they have revealed about the lives of women such as Livia Drusilla.
Aiden Chan
How have historians analysed and interpreted sources on Qin Shi Huang Do and his feats in order to reveal what kind of figure he was?
Qin was the First Emperor of China after he united the warring states in 221 BCE. This essay looks at how historians have used sources to emphasise their understandings and perspectives of this important historical individual.
Patrick Elliott
To what extent has the historiographical value of psychohistory progressed over time?
Psychohistory was pioneered by Sigmund Freud and its new perspective on history has ben challenged since. This essay looks at the changing place it has had in the history landscape.
Giancarlo Vincenzo
How have context and changing societal values affected the appropriation of Arminius over time?
Arminius was a chief of the Bermanic tribe Cherusci which ambushed three Roman legios in the battle of the Teutoberg Forest in 9CE. This essay looks at Arminius’ evolving image from the Roman-derived view of a Barbarian to a National Symbol of Germanic values reveals how each society projects its contemporary issues and needs onto historical figures.
Bradley Ning
Explain how popular interpretations of the Ludlow Massacre (1914) have changed over time.
The Ludlow Massacre stands as one of the deadliest labour conflicts in American history. This essay looks at how popular historical accounts have changed in their approaches to this event which marked a violent climax of a seven month long coal miner’s strike.
Andre Johnson
How do biographical accounts of Bobby Fischer shape the understanding of his significance in political and sporting history?
One of the most influential chess grandmasters is the American Bobby Fischer. This essay looks at how different biographical works on him have shaped his story and its context. Was he a Cold war hero or simply a chess genius?