Histories of everyday life

Histories of everyday life study how ordinary people experienced daily routines, beliefs, and social interactions in the past. Instead of focusing only on major events or famous figures, this approach looks at common activities—like cooking, working, family life, and leisure—to understand broader social and cultural patterns. It reveals how people’s habits, values, and relationships shaped history from the ground up, offering a more detailed picture of how societies functioned and changed over time. This perspective helps us see history as a mosaic of individual lives and collective experiences.