Historical context is an important part of life and literature and without it, memories, stories and characters have less meaning. OK, but what exactly is historical context? It's essentially the details that surround an occurrence. In more technical terms, historical context refers to the social, religious, economic, and political conditions that existed during a certain time and place. Basically, it's all the details of the time and place in which a situation occurs, and those details are what enable us to interpret and analyze works or events of the past, or even the future, rather than merely judge them by contemporary standards.
In literature, a strong understanding of the historical context behind a work's creation can give us a better understanding of and appreciation for the narrative. In analyzing historical events, context can help us understand what motivates people to behave as they did.
Put another way, context is what gives meaning to the details. It's important, however, that you don't confuse context with cause. "Cause" is the action that creates an outcome; "context" is the environment in which that action and outcome occurs.
