Reece Goodrich 

Professor Merrill 

HIST 212 

22 November 2023  

 

A New Dawn: The Impact of AI on Historical Research and Analysis 

As we know AI is taking over and over the past few years there has been an explosion in the AI industry. Now, the argument of whether it could be used by historians to accurately gain information about topics or not is the focus of experiment. AI, in terms of usage for history, has various advantages and disadvantages. From a historical perspective, AI should be used, but not for gathering information. Here is why AI should only be used for forming visuals, models, or simulations for historical usage. 

In terms of pros, AI’s speed is unmatched. It saves a historian time from searching through source after source. AI is able to run through a plethora of separate sources at a fraction of the time it would take for one historian to. It also does most of the data mining that would take ages to dig through without AI. Allowing the historian to use all of his brain power towards better defining and illustrating a topic. Historians can use these AI to create theoretical simulations and models to represent how something may have occurred or appeared.  

Though there are a few drawbacks to AI. At the top of said disadvantages is the poor ability to sypher through bias. The AI gathers general information, summarizing articles. In doing so, the AI does not have the knowledge to pick out any bias such articles may have, causing it to pull information from unreliable sources. AI also does not have the same critical thinking skills that any human has, let alone a historian. This could lead to misinterpretation of vital information or contents like cultural or social meanings. 

Many of these cons are created by the limitations that come with using AI. If information is used from an incomplete or false source, the quality of information used within its answer could outright be wrong. If using AI for anything research related, always double check and make sure that the information and sources used by AI is accurate, complete, with no bias (or define the bias within the source). There are also times where information that may be needed is locked behind walls or digital barriers that the AI may not be able to crack into. Things like government records that are not made public, or even articles that can only be accessed with a subscription or other forms of payments. The AI may be able to use this information, but the user could not access the information to look for bias in articles or even dates to see if it is a current/complete article.  The AI is not capable of forming its own opinion, causing it to depend on the information gained from other sources that have formed arguments towards something. The AI then forms its answers using these already from arguments, but in a summarized version. 

Within the experiment, there are some notable factors. Starting from the top, the AI is very vague with its explanation. Notice how it states Mattie’s name, but if you were to ask for a similar prompt only changing “Mattie Oblinger” to “Western Settler”, the answer would be nearly identical. The AI talks of the harsh weather conditions, environmental changes, and isolation, all of which are common among all western settlers.  

Now taking a look down at the sources, you may have noticed source two does not redirect you to a source. The link given does not work, but sources three and two both supply the same information/topic. The article is made by Chad Montrie who is an assistant professor of history at the university of Lowell. The information is used from his book “Making a Living: Work and Environment in the United States: Chad Montrie”. Source four is a secondary source, using primary sources to gain its data and form a lesson about westward expansion. It is made by a history professor from Illinois State University. The final source is not trustworthy. Not only is the website a business website, but it is also more focused on sustainability and not on Mattie Oblinger. 

Most of the information used to understand the history of Mattie Oblinger comes from letters between her family and herself, making it difficult to accurately describe how the travel was. This shows the limitations that AI is met with. Historians may be able to better describe her travels through a wider range of data, showing a more illustrated description. Like, for example, one may not have known her true name was Martha not Mattie. 

It does however bring up some critical points in the explanation of Mattie’s journey. Though not directly related or connected to Mattie’s travel, the AI does have key points for both agreeing and disagreeing with her decision. The Homestead Act of 1862, signed after the end of the Civil War, gave the right for any American, including newly freed slaves, to own 160 of federal land with small fees. This meant for Mattie, she could move to Nebraska and with her husband Uriah. Her husband had moved years prior, with two of Mattie’s brothers, so he had already built the sod house they would live in. 

The AI had a fine layout of its information, starting with an introduction, the stimming to its evidence supporting both sides of the argument, and ends with a conclusion and sources. I may have only gone into better detail, starting with a description of Martha’s life prior and post westward expansion, and try to focus more on her life instead of the life of all citizens who were moving west. 

Overall, the AI does lack the in-depth description one would have gotten in an article, or even explanation they may have gotten from a history professor/historian. Though AI usage is continually increasing and does have some advantages, we should not let it intertwine with historical research. The margin of error allowed by the limitations and disadvantages of AI usage harshly outweighs the positives. Though it should still be used, just not for the gathering of critical or vital information that could be flooded with bias or false info. 

Work Cited 

Prairie Settlement: Biographical Notes for the Oblinger Family N-O (loc.gov) 

Johnson, Michael P. Reading the American Past: Selected Historical Documents. 8th ed., Vol.2, Macmillan, 2020. 

AI RESPONSE Used In Experiment: 

Mattie Oblinger was a woman who lived in the 19th century and was part of the westward expansion of the United States. The decision to move to the West was a significant one, and it is worth considering whether or not Mattie Oblinger should have made that choice. Here are some arguments for and against her decision, supported by cited sources: 

  

**Arguments for Mattie Oblinger moving to the West:** 

  

1. **Opportunity for land ownership:** The Homestead Act of 1862 provided 160 acres of free land to people willing to move west[5]. This was a significant opportunity for people like Mattie Oblinger, who may not have had access to land ownership in the East.

  

2. **Farming potential:** The grasslands of Kansas and Nebraska were fertile and had the potential for successful farming[2]. Mattie Oblinger had a garden with a variety of plants, including cucumbers, squashes, melons, beans, potatoes, cabbages, beets, and tomatoes[3]. This suggests that she had success with farming in the West.

  

3. **Family ties:** Mattie Oblinger had family in the West, including her husband Uriah Oblinger and her sister Ella Oblinger[1]. Moving to the West would have allowed her to be closer to her family.

  

**Arguments against Mattie Oblinger moving to the West:** 

  

1. **Dangerous journey:** The journey to the West was long and dangerous, with many risks along the way[4]. Mattie Oblinger would have had to travel by wagon train, which was slow and exposed to the elements.

  

2. **Isolation:** Moving to the West would have meant leaving behind the social networks and support systems that Mattie Oblinger had in the East. The West was a sparsely populated area, and it would have been challenging to build new relationships and connections[2].

  

3. **Environmental challenges:** The West was a harsh environment, with extreme weather conditions and a lack of water[6]. This would have made farming and living in the West challenging.

  

In conclusion, the decision to move to the West was a complex one, with both advantages and disadvantages. Ultimately, the decision would have depended on individual circumstances and priorities. Mattie Oblinger’s decision to move to the West was likely influenced by a combination of factors, including family ties, the opportunity for land ownership, and the potential for successful farming. However, the dangers of the journey, the isolation of the West, and the environmental challenges would have made the decision a difficult one. 

  

Citations: 

[1] https://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award98/nbhihtml/aboutoblinger.html 

[2] https://www.jstor.org/stable/23533680 

[3] https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/17228084.pdf 

[4] http://educationextras.com/LOC%20pdfs%202012/Kent/Greg%20Schreur-%20FINAL%20LESSON%5B1%5D.pdf 

[5] https://thinkport.org/tps/ushist/inquiry-kits.html?topic=02&unit=06 

[6] https://www.850businessmagazine.com/rapidly-growing-water-state-confronts-urgent-need-to-better-treat-the-environment/