Claim Though often considered an objective pursuit learning about the historical past requires creativity Reason Because we can never know the past directly we must reconstruct it by imaginatively interpreting historical accounts documents and artifacts W

History is often written by winners, indicating the possibility that historical accounts were recorded with subjectivity. Thus, I agree with the claim that understanding historical events requires creativity, and I also agree with the reason that people need to interpret historical accounts, documents, and artifacts through imagination and then reconstruct them.

Admittedly, interpreting historical events, in some cases, does not require imagination. Because some historical records were written objectively and candidly to deliver accuracy and credibility. Take World War II and the Holocaust, for example. During World War II, Germany's Nazis killed many innocent Jewish people. Due to the importance of the historical event, learning about the genocide of the Jewish population needs deep insight through an objective lens. Because history is mostly written by winners who tend to record historical events subjectively, it is difficult for history to be pursued without subjectivity. However, in such cases as the Holocaust, massacre, mass shooting, and camp conditions should be recorded by both winners and losers. For example, "the diary of a young girl" is famous for vividly describing how tragic the Jewish people's lives were during World War II. By looking at accounts from both sides, people can obtain unbiased perspectives. As seen in this example, it is somewhat credible to state that when one looks back on history, creativity is not necessary.

However, in most cases, creativity plays a crucial role in comprehending historical documents. Historians have certain expectations, and in the process of finding answers, they gear their findings to meet their expectations. John F. Kennedy's assassination is a compelling example. John F. Kennedy was killed by shooting in front of the public, and the culprit was caught immediately. However, not many people of that time had witnessed the event, and people after him were not present that day. So they have no choice but to use their imagination to recreate the event. Many people believe in various conspiracy theories and alternative scenarios, so historians prefer to remake the historical scene according to their expectations. Hence, creativity is an essential component of interpreting historical artifacts.

Furthermore, people must rebuild historical documents, articles, and artifacts by using their imagination to explain them. As contemporary people were not present in the past, they cannot access past events directly. During the 1800s, slavery was pervasive in the United States. The South supported the slavery plantation while the North wanted to free slaves. Thus, many enslaved people from the South escaped to the North. Their stories were documented in the autobiographies of Harriet Tubman and Federick Douglass. However, today's historians did not exist in the past, so they could not know exatly what happened to the slaves. Historians need to utilize their imagination to fill the gaps in historical records. Thus, it is reasonable to state that creativity is necessary for interpreting and reconstructing specific historical details.

In brief, exploring history is a creative enterprise because historians cannot know the past directly. People should become storytellers and use their imagination to gain a deeper understanding of historical events.