PAM VAN DYK and CEDRIC VAN DYK review Making History Grade 12 by John Pape et al (Heinemann, R79,95)
THESE authors have produced a well-written text which raises debates and shows different interpretations of the past. The narrative is fresh and original, clear and concise, and herein lies the strength of the book. It provides an accessible text that is analytical, not just descriptive. It focuses on economic and social history, not just a political approach, and uses a wide variety of sources that substantiate the text.
This challenging text presents conflicting views of events, thereby exposing learners to different interpretations of events. The text does not contain the usual Western capitalist bias (this is particularly evident in the chapters on the United States, Russia and the Cold War). The approach in the sections on Africa and South Africa contain up-to-date historiography and, where possible, within the constraints of the syllabus, the role of women in history has been included.
Sources include a variety of maps, cartoons, photographs, statistics and written extracts from primary and secondary sources. However, captions for the photographs and other sources could be more detailed. Although the sources and the text are interesting, the questions based on them are generally quite weak. The sources should be put to more extensive use.
Although some more difficult words and concepts are explained, an additional glossary would have been useful. The inclusion of more date lists would provide a useful overview for learners.
Making History Grade 12 follows the interim syllabus, but teachers should use the book with their provincial examination requirements in mind.
— The Teacher/Mail & Guardian, March 20, 2000.
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