Approaching Children's Drawings Methodologically as Repositories of Events: The Sinking of the "Lusitania" and Other Drawings From 1915.

The article focuses on the use of 20th-century children's and youth drawings as historical documents that reflect both peaceful childhood experiences and violent upheavals, particularly war. It highlights the International Research and Archives Network Historical Children's and Youth Drawings (IRAND), a global network recognized by UNESCO, which collects and studies these drawings to understand the socialization, identity formation, and educational contexts of young people. Using examples from World War I, especially drawings depicting the sinking of the Lusitania, the article demonstrates how children's artworks were influenced by contemporary images such as newspapers, postcards, toys, and propaganda, revealing their awareness of historical events and the visual culture surrounding them. The analysis underscores the importance of contextualizing these drawings to interpret their meanings accurately and suggests their potential use in contemporary education to convey authentic perspectives on historical conflicts.