"History is made by those who break a sweat," your PE coach might say, giving you that inspirational look. But does history only remember those who break records, push boundaries, or simply disobey authority? The reality is, history is created by both individual and collective action in the present.

Example: Consider the passing of the Same-Sex Marriage legislation in the USA. It was not a single individual, but collective efforts that led to a historical moment. And voila, history was made!

The question is, when does an event go from being just a moment in the past to a significant piece of history? Well, that's defined by some invisible guidelines that only the historians' club seems to know about!

Imagine you got a time machine (we wish!). The New York Times (2015) asked its readers if they would kill baby Hitler if they could. The answers weren't just a matter of ethics but revealed the reader's understanding of history: Is it inevitable or contingent? Do certain individuals significantly affect history?

Example: If you think you'd stop WW2 by taking out baby Hitler, you're assuming that historical events revolve around key individuals. However, if you think otherwise, you may believe that events are influenced by broader socio-political contexts, and another dictator would have risen if Hitler hadn't.