Historical context is important when interpreting behavior and speech.

For example: "Sally hid her hands behind her back and crossed her fingers before she answered." It sounds innocent on its own. However, reading it as a statement from a transcript during the 16...

We cannot fully appreciate or understand a work of literature without context.

Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" cannot be fully understood if the reader is unaware of the Romantic movement in the early 19th century. The lives of Europeans were transformed by the technolo...

• Scholars and educators rely on historical context to analyze and interpret art, literature, music, dance, and poetry.
• Architects and builders refer to it when restoring existing buildings.
• Judges may use it to interpret the law.