This article investigates the historical
learning of high school students based on
the concept of historical consciousness
and its possible integration with the theory
of social representations. Qualitative
research was carried out based on the
analysis of data collected through student’s
previous ideas and student responses
to a set of exercises with information
from different historical sources
and periods (Antiquity and Present). We
carried out a survey at a public school
unit in the metropolitan region of Sao
Paulo in order to understand how the
political dimension is learned by students
when they get in contact with the
history of the ancient Romans. We come
to the conclusion that student’s historical
learning results from the relationship between
school curriculum, perception of
temporality and lived reality.
