cultural and historical context

Help me study for my Art & Design class. I’m stuck and don’t understand.

You will research the cultural and historical context for your work, finding specific examples and individuals who inspire your ideas, who work similarly, and who inspire you. If you are working on a project that has historical connotations, art and design styles or a specific style that serves as precedence, it should be researched and discussed in this paper. If your work is influenced by a specific culture or cultural and historical event, your research will reflect this. It is important that you focus your research. Your Statement must be used as a guide for the references you select. Your Statement and focused questions prevent your research from becoming too broad.