ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on two related aspects of historical thinking—recognizing the impact of conflict and consensus and understanding historical agency. In Dehea’s class, these aspects were dealt with in the context of a social studies thematic unit on community. The group investigating the conflict over altering an anti-discrimination law, for instance, found a section of their textbook on the Civil Rights movement useful. The American Declaration of Independence lays out a rationale for the right of people to overthrow governments that violate their rights, and the Bill of Rights begins with a guarantee of freedom of speech, including disagreeable speech. Democratic governments are generally based on conflicting ideas, dissent, debate, negotiation, and even litigation. High quality academic discussions not only prepare students for participation in democratic debate and negotiation, they also support important aspects of historical thinking, including better understanding of historical agency.
