War and Peace Lesson Plan

What do you think about Tolstoy's assertion in Epilogue Part 1 Chapter 1 that the standards of history change based on the norms during the time of the historian? Evaluating the events in War and Peace from our time, how do you think a historian would evaluate the actions differently?

Tolstoy’s assertion that the standards of history change based on the norms of the time continues to be true to the modern day. Students might know that cultural norms also impact what is seen as right and wrong, even within the same period of time. Seen from the prevailing standards of our time and the context within the United States, several things are problematic with Tolstoy’s analysis....