You may assume the terms “history” and “heritage” can be used interchangeably. Both history and heritage deal with the past, and you have probably heard the two terms used in similar ways. However, there are distinctive and significant ways to separate “history” and “heritage.”
There are individuals who study history from a scholarly perspective. Those who study history read the work of other scholars, who produce what is known as secondary sources. Those who study history also read a wide range of primary sources, which include evidence such as letters, diaries, and other materials that come to us from a particular historical moment in time. Sifting through this knowledge, they look for areas where information may be lacking, and they ask new questions. Those who study history are not satisfied with a single interpretation of the past—they know that different perspectives can alter how we understand a historical moment.
Different perspectives can be found through a number of ways. For example, consider the subject of the American Revolution. If you only looked at the event through a description of the life and words of Benjamin Franklin, you might come away with a decided opinion on the leadership, causes, and results tied to that event. However, were you to examine the Revolution through the eyes of Franklin’s son, William Franklin, you might see the event in an entirely different light, as William stood on the opposite side of the war as a Loyalist.
Other perspectives are achieved by historians who look at moments from different angles. For example, consider the conclusions we might reach if we looked at the American Revolution through a purely economic lens. We might place a great deal of emphasis on the subject of taxation, or the connection between the fur trade and controlled settlement in the West. How would this view of the past change if we instead viewed the event through the lens of gender, race, or religion? What happens if we look at the past through all of these lenses? We now have an interpretation of the past that is much richer. It may, however, also come with uncomfortable realizations or conclusions; for example, if we study the American Revolution by looking at the Native American or African American experience, it can be unsettling to learn the reasons why certain individuals did not support what we as Americans traditionally consider to be the “right” side.
This is where “heritage” comes into play. Heritage can make the past feel nice and tidy, as it memorializes the past without including the elements that can make us feel uncomfortable. Heritage is a community effort—those who embrace it agree upon a particular storyline and are often wary of allowing outside influences to disrupt the shared narrative. Heritage can be used in a variety of ways. In some cases, it can make us marvel, feel proud, or encourage individuals to feel as though they belong to something bigger than themselves. For example, think about how parades or historical reenactments have made you feel when you participate in or view such events: You are part of something you can take pride in along with the many others who share a particular feeling in a particular moment with you. These events may also help you feel connected to those who lived in the past—they widen the sense of community and of belonging to something “greater.” It is important to remember that while a sense of heritage can be a great motivator in encouraging us to preserve the past, it can also present challenges in interpreting that past.
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