The Golden Age of Historiography

To many historians, the mid-19th century is considered the “golden age” of historiography in places like the German states, England, and the United States. The reasons for this distinction lie on many fronts. Historians went from aloof academics in staid intellectual settings to become advisors to kings and politicians, creating a new importance for standards of historical study. Revolutions in America, France, and the 1848 revolutions in Europe brought quick change to Western culture.

Because of this, German historians articulated an extensive set of methods to achieve an accurate understanding of the past. By the 1880s, historians and students were confident in the future of historical study because it was no longer a sub set of another field; it was capable of standing on its own two feet, with its traditions and standards.

The German historical scene at this point set the scene for other European (and even American) historical analyses. German universities were the envy of other Europeans and their focus was on the German empire of the medieval period. Because universities were public institutions, historians were beholden to Bismarckian whims. While these historians were integral to the creation of the 1871 German empire, Bismarck also felt that historians could be utilized to better the image of Germany throughout Europe.

However, this interest in studying the German past led to an intricate historiographical process of accumulating contemporary materials and historians adding small bits of analysis or commentary to the finished product. This process also forced historians to head into the library and study not only historically significant materials, but study economy, sociology, and psychology to create a well rounded analysis of historical events.

American historians followed a similar track, though under very different circumstances. The historical endeavors of Americans were not financed by monarchs or princes, but by historical societies established in the individual states by the wealthy and the learned. These societies wanted to preserve not only the history of the United States, young as it may have been, but also the pride and dignity of the nation to other nations (notably Europe). In this case, similar to German historians, American writers had to be sympathetic and accurate, beholden to the particular regional biases of historical societies.

Throughout most of the 19th century, history in America remained a non-academic endeavor, even with the creation of history departments at universities and attempts by historical societies to create an American standard for study. However, history in Europe and America served the purpose of informing an increasingly curious public.