Understanding History and Historiography

Study Notes

What is History?

History is the study of the past including thoughts, actions, pronouncements, and events of people
History is a systematic and critical study of the past based on interpreting evidence
History includes "pre-history" which is the time period before written records (around 4000 BC)
The word "history" comes from the Greek word "istoria" which means "inquiry" or "knowledge acquired by investigation"

### Importance of Learning History

Learning history teaches about the successes and mistakes of the past
Studying history allows us to understand present society
Studying history helps develop analytical skills
Studying history promotes effective problem-solving skills

History as an Academic Discipline

History studies past events, the present situation, and makes future predictions in areas such as economics, society, technology, and politics
History looks at patterns of change, continuity, cause, and effect over time
History is often part of the social sciences, but has its own unique goals
Historians ask questions such as: what happened? When did it happen? How did it happen? Why did it happen? What were the consequences?

History and Other Disciplines

Natural sciences study the physical world
History studies humans and societies
Unlike natural sciences, history doesn't use controlled experiments
Natural scientists are impartial in their findings
Historians often add their personal views to their findings
Both historians and scientists use systematic methods, evidence, and draw conclusions
History is considered a science because its claims must be supported by evidence

### Historiography

Historiography is the study of the history of writing history
It examines methods of writing and researching history
The organized study of history began with the rise of civilization and the development of writing
The father of Western (European) history is considered to be Herodotus (ca. 484-425 BC)
Herodotus wrote "Histories", a detailed account of the wars between the Greeks and Persians
Thucydides was a successor of Herodotus. Thucydides (ca. 455 – 400 B.C) wrote about the Peloponnesian War (ca. 431-408 B.C)
Thucydides's work was chronological, critical, and accurate

Description

This quiz explores fundamental concepts in history, including the definition of 'istoria', the role of historians, and key methodologies that distinguish historical study from natural sciences. Dive into the nuances of historiography and the skills developed through the study of history, as well as the potential pitfalls associated with it.