Bartolomé Mitre: A historiographical study

Abstract

This manuscript attempts an analytical study of Bartolome Mitre as an Argentine historian. In order to understand Mitre's historical writing it was first necessary to examine the course of Argentine history encompassing the era or which he wrote and that in which he lived. Since Mitre was a military and political figure of the first rank, it was also essential to survey his public life as a means for gaining possible insights into his writing. A study of his personal philosophy also contributed to an understanding of the intellectual framework out of which grew his historical scholarship. This led in tum to an analysis of Mitre's historical convictions and methodology within the broader scope or the historical community at large and the Argentine context specifically. Finally, Mitre's writings were systematically probed to reveal the techniques he utilized and their practical efficacy. It was found that Mitre was a transitional and exemplary figure in Argentine historiography. Although he was never able to shed completely all the trappings of Romantic history, he believed and practiced many of the theories basic to modern scientific history. His contributions to Argentine historical. scholarship in general were or such a nature as to create a tradition of excellence which subsequent generations of Argentine historians have used as a model.