An asterisk is used to append text, to note an omission, or to reference an annotation.

It’s a way of saying, “Here’s the story, but you need to know this other part, too, in order to fully understand.”

We also know that every event — every piece of truth — can be seen from multiple angles. And every moment in time is a small fiber woven into an endless fabric.

What does this mean? That every line of text that explains human history deserves an asterisk. And that the contextual annotations are deeper and more plentiful than the clean, simple lines they detail.

We simplify history to help teach young children. But we’re no longer young children and the complicated and nuanced footnotes deserve our attention.