Primary and Secondary Sources in History

Introduction to World History

• Learning outcomes include explaining the history of the discipline, identifying historical sources, critically assessing historical evidence, and appreciating the importance of studying history.

Defining History

• Etymologically, history comes from the Greek word "HISTORIA" meaning "knowledge acquired by investigation."
• History is described as a chronological record of significant events (Merriam-Webster, 2018).
• History is a narration of events that have occurred among mankind, including the rise and fall of nations.

Key Historical Periods and Events

• Classical Greece flourished around 500 BCE with Greek culture, philosophy, and democracy in Athens and Sparta.
• The Roman Empire dominated the Mediterranean around 500 BCE - 500 CE, spreading Roman law, culture, and Christianity.
• The Qin Dynasty (China) unified around 221 BCE, beginning the Imperial era and constructing the Great Wall.
• The Rise of Islam occurred around 600 CE, marked by Muhammad's teachings and rapid expansion of Islamic Caliphates.
• Charlemagne's Empire around 800 CE saw the unification of much of Western Europe and the Carolingian Renaissance.
• Feudalism in Europe around 900 CE involved a decentralized political structure and the rise of knights, castles, and manorialism.
• The Mongol Empire around 1200 CE became the largest contiguous land empire, connecting East and West through trade routes.
• The Black Death from 1347-1351 CE caused devastating plague, killing a third of Europe's population.
• The Renaissance around 1450 CE marked the rebirth of classical knowledge and art in Europe and the beginning of modern science.
• Columbus' Voyage in 1492 CE led to the European discovery of the Americas and the start of the Age of Exploration.
• The Protestant Reformation around 1500 CE was a religious reform movement creating Protestant churches.
• The Scientific Revolution around 1600 CE involved advances in astronomy, physics, and biology, challenging traditional beliefs.
• The American Revolution in 1776 CE led to the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States.
• The French Revolution in 1789 CE overthrew the monarchy and led to secularism and nationalism in Europe.
• The Industrial Revolution around 1800 CE saw a transformation of economies, rise of factories, and urbanization.
• World War I from 1914-1918 CE was a global conflict involving the fall of empires and reshaping of borders in Europe and the Middle East.
• World War II from 1939-1945 CE was a global conflict with the genocide of the Holocaust and the emergence of the US and USSR as superpowers.
• Indian Independence in 1947 CE ended British colonial rule and led to the partition of India and Pakistan.
• The Cold War from 1945-1991 CE was an ideological conflict between the US and USSR, including a nuclear arms race and space exploration.
• The Moon Landing in 1969 CE involved the Apollo 11 mission and the first human on the Moon.
• The Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 CE symbolized the end of the Cold War and the reunification of Germany.
• The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks in 2001 CE were Al-Qaeda attacks on the US, leading to a global War on Terror.
• The COVID-19 Pandemic in 2019-2020 CE was a global health crisis with significant impacts on society, economy, and daily life.

Historical Theories

• Factual History presents the plain and basic information, including what happened, when, where, and who was involved.
• Speculative History is concerned about the reasons for why events happened and how they happened.

Key Concepts and Figures

• History involves the study of past events, Historiography focuses on the methods and principles used by historians, and Historians are those who research and write about history.
• Herodotus (circa 484-425 B.C.E.) is known as the "Father of History".

Understanding History

• History is the record of mankind on earth and mankind's accomplishments throughout the ages.
• The earth was created between two and six billion years ago.
• Man appeared on earth approximately 1,750,000 years ago.
• Studying world history helps in understanding the past, shows how our present way of life developed, and familiarizes us with accomplishments of people in other countries.

Understanding Timelines

• B.C. refers to years "before the birth of Christ"
• A.D. means "anno-domini," which translates to "in the year of our lord" and represents years after the death of Christ.

Major Periods of History

• The Prehistoric Period (1,000,000 B.C. to 4000 B.C.) dates back to the time before the invention of writing.
• The Historic Period (1,400 B.C. to Present) marks the beginnings of written records of mankind's accomplishments.
• The earliest written records date back to Ancient Egypt and the Middle East around 4000 B.C.
• Ancient History (4,000 B.C. to A.D. 500) starts from the beginning of civilization in the Near East and Asia to the breakup of the Roman Empire around 500 A.D.
• Medieval History (A.D. 500 to A.D. 1500) includes the period from the Fall of the Roman Empire to the discovery of America
• Modern History (A.D. 1500 to Present) is the period from the Renaissance and the discovery of the America.

Historical Sources

• Historical sources are the basis for writing history, coming from bases and sources like direct witnesses, unearthed and preserved materials, paintings, magazine articles, books, newspapers etc
• There are two types of historical sources: primary and secondary.

Primary Sources

• Primary sources are proofs or pieces of evidence that validate an event in the past.
• Examples of primary sources are stories told by direct witnesses to an event
• Primary sources forms a basis for determining important information about what happened, why, when and where the event took place
• Primary sources have different forms - written or in print
• Oral forms are by people who witnessed to an event
• Visual sources include observable materials that provide information on a particular event or period.
• Artifacts are man-made objects that show the way of life and situations of a group of people during a particular era.
• Examples of Primary Sources included Journals, Newspapers, Correspondences, Photographs, Reports and Literature

Secondary Sources

• Secondary sources are stories of people who were not direct witnesses to the event.
• These written sources interpret primary sources
• Authors of secondary sources might get their information from accounts of direct witnesses or from other primary sources.
• Secondary sources involves interpretation and evaluation of the records
• Examples include books written by historians, articles published in newspapers and journals, documents read at conferences, and other writings by authors who were not direct witnesses to the event

Why Study History?

• History helps us understand people and societies, providing change to how the society we live in came to be
• History also contributes to moral understanding and provides identity

Skills Developed in Studying History

• The ability to assess evidence and conflicting interpretations.
• Experience in assessing past examples of change.

Key Time Measurements

• A Decade is equal to 10 years
• A Century is equal to 100 years
• A Millennium is equal to 1,000 years