Christopher Hill (historian)
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John Edward Christopher Hill (February 6, 1912 - February 23, 2003) was an English Marxist historian and the author of many history textbooks.
Born in York, Christopher Hill entered Balliol College, Oxford in 1931. In 1932 he was awarded Lothian Prize, and got a first-class honour and All Souls Fellowship two years later. Later in Balliol, Hill became a Marxist and joined the Communist Party. He spent one year in the Soviet Union in 1935.
After coming back from Moscow, he returned to Balliol as a fellow and tutor of modern history. In 1940 he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. Later in the War he also joined the intelligence corps. Around this time, Hill started to publish his articles and reviews about 17th century England history. He also took part in a debate among many Marxist historians in 1940.
In 1946, Hill and many other Marxist historians formed the Communist Party Historians Group. However, Hill soon became discontent with the lack of democracy in the Communist Party. He left the party in 1956, after one of his reports was rejected.
After 1957, Hill's career ascended to new heights. His studies on 17th century English history were widely acknowledged and recognised. In 1965, Hill was elected the master of Balliol. He held the post from 1965 to 1978, when he retired.
Many of Hill's most notable studies focused on the history of 17th century English history. His books include Economic Problems of the Church (1955), Puritanism And Revolution (1958), Intellectual Origins of the English Revolution (1965 and revised in 1996), The Century of Revolution (1961), AntiChrist In 17th-century England (1971), The World Turned Upside Down (1972) and many others.
Hill passed away on February 23, 2003, 18 days after his 91st birthday.
Reference
- Morill, John "Christopher Hill" pages 28-29 from History Today Volume 53, Issue # 6, June 2003.
External links
- An American Tribute to Christopher Hill (http://www.counterpunch.org/linebaugh05172003.html) by Peter Linebaugh
- The English Revolution 1640 (http://www.marxists.org/archive/hill-christopher/english-revolution/) by Christopher Hill (full text of 1940 book)pt:Christopher Hill