11 Examples of short historical texts complete with meaning, function and type

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Imagine being able to know about major events in just a few sentences. Cool, right?

Brilio.net - History is like a window of time that takes readers to explore the past. Well, a short history text is a concise way to peek through that window. Imagine being able to know about major events in just a few sentences. Cool, right?

A short history text is a short piece of writing that tells important events in the past. Usually, this text focuses on one particular event or period. Although short, this text must still be accurate and informative.

1. Provide quick information about historical events
2. Trigger interest in learning more about history
3. Helps remember important points in history

1. Narrative Text: Tells events in sequence
2. Descriptive Text: Describes the atmosphere or conditions of a time.
3. Explanatory Text: Explains the causes and effects of historical events.

1. Research: Gather information from reliable sources.
2. Choose a Focus: Determine one main event or aspect
3. Arrange Chronology: Order events clearly
4. Write Short: Use effective and to the point sentences.
5. Review: Check the accuracy and clarity of the information.

Well, for those who are curious about what a short historical text example looks like, here are 11 examples that can be an inspiration. From the kingdom era to the modern era, all are packaged in short but still meaningful paragraphs.

Come on, check out the following examples of short history texts. Who knows, after reading this, you might be interested in digging deeper into history or even trying to write your own short history text!

On August 17, 1945, Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta proclaimed Indonesia's independence. This event took place at Soekarno's house on Jalan Pegangsaan Timur 56, Jakarta. The short but historic text of the proclamation was read by Soekarno, accompanied by Hatta. This proclamation marked the birth of the independent state of Indonesia, after a long period of Dutch colonialism and Japanese occupation.

The Rengasdengklok Incident occurred on August 16, 1945. A group of youths, including Soekarni and Wikana, kidnapped Soekarno and Hatta to Rengasdengklok, Karawang. The purpose of this kidnapping was to urge the two figures to immediately proclaim Indonesian independence, taking advantage of the power vacuum after Japan surrendered to the Allies. This incident became an important catalyst leading up to the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence.

The Asia-Africa Conference was held in Bandung on 18-24 April 1955. The conference was attended by 29 newly independent Asian and African countries. Its main objectives were to promote Afro-Asian economic and cultural cooperation, and to oppose colonialism and imperialism. The conference gave birth to the Bandung Ten Principles, ten principles that became the basis for international relations between Asian and African countries.

The 30 September Movement of 1965, or known as G30S/PKI, was a coup attempt that occurred on the night of 30 September until the early hours of 1 October 1965. Six high-ranking generals and an Indonesian Army officer were kidnapped and killed. The movement was eventually crushed under the leadership of Major General Suharto. This event was a turning point in Indonesian history, ending the era of Sukarno's Guided Democracy and beginning the New Order era.

Pancasila, the basic ideology of the Indonesian state, was born on June 1, 1945. On that day, in the session of BPUPKI (Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Indonesian Independence), Soekarno delivered a speech that later became known as "The Birth of Pancasila". In the speech, Soekarno proposed five principles that later became the foundation of the Indonesian state. June 1 is then commemorated as Pancasila Birth Day.

The Linggarjati Agreement was a negotiation between Indonesia and the Netherlands that took place from 1015 November 1946 in Linggarjati, West Java. This agreement resulted in the de facto recognition of Indonesian territory including Java, Sumatra, and Madura. The Netherlands also agreed to withdraw its troops in stages. However, this agreement caused controversy among Indonesian fighters because it was considered too lenient towards the Netherlands.

The Youth Pledge was a historic event that occurred on October 28, 1928. In the Second Youth Congress in Jakarta, youth from various regions in Indonesia swore to recognize one homeland, one nation, and one language: Indonesia. This event became an important milestone in the Indonesian national movement, uniting various ethnic groups in the struggle for independence.

The March 11th Letter of Command (Supersemar) was a document signed by President Sukarno on March 11, 1966. This document gave Lieutenant General Suharto the mandate to take necessary actions to restore security and order. Supersemar became the basis for Suharto to dissolve the PKI and take over power from Sukarno, marking the beginning of the New Order era.

The Malari Incident (Malapetaka Lima Belas Januari) occurred on 15-16 January 1974 in Jakarta. Student and community demonstrations that initially opposed Japanese economic domination turned into riots. This incident was triggered by the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka to Indonesia. Malari became a pivotal point in the history of the New Order, marking the beginning of tighter restrictions on political and press freedom.

The 1998 Reformation was a transitional period in Indonesia marked by the resignation of President Soeharto on May 21, 1998. The economic and political crisis that had peaked since 1997 triggered massive demonstrations throughout Indonesia. The main demands were reforms in the political, economic, and legal fields. This event ended the New Order era that had been in power for 32 years and opened a new era of democracy in Indonesia.

East Timor, now known as Timor Leste, separated from Indonesia through a referendum on August 30, 1999. After 24 years of being part of Indonesia since its annexation in 1975, the majority of the East Timorese voted for independence. The process was marked by conflict and violence between pro-independence and pro-integration groups. On May 20, 2002, Timor Leste officially became an independent country, ending a long era of conflict and tension with Indonesia.

(brl/tin)