[Lesson 3] Historical Criticism

Historical Criticism

Involves settling basic matters about the form and content of a source to be used as evidence in history.

External Criticism

Aims at checking the authenticity of the primary source, including verifying if the paper and ink of the document belong to the studied period.

External Criticism

• The problem of authenticity 

• To spot fabricated, forged, faked documents 

• To distinguish a hoax or misrepresentation

Anachronistic

Refers to style elements like idiom, ortography, and punctuation that are out of chronological order.

Tests of Authenticity

1. Determine the date of the document to see whether they are anachronistic 

2. Determine the author

3. Anachronistic style

4. Anachronistic reference to events

5. Provenance or custody (determines its genuineness)

Internal Criticism

checks the reliability of sources

Internal Criticism

• The Problem of Credibility 

• Relevant particulars in the document – is it credible? 

• Verisimilar – as close as what really happened from a critical examination of best available sources

Tests of Credibility

1. Identification of the author (e.g. to determine his reliability; mental processes, personal attitudes

2. Determination of the approximate date

3. Ability to tell the truth - nearness to the event, competence of witness, degree of attention.

4. Willingness to tell the truth - to determine if the author consciously or unconsciously tells falsehoods.

5. Corroboration

   i.e. historical facts – particulars which rest upon the independent testimony of two or more reliable witnesses

Questions for Internal Criticism

1. How close was the author being studied? (physical location of the author of the document)

2. When was the account made? (a primary source should be closer or contemporary to the period being studied.)

3. Who was the recipient of the account?

4. Is there bias to be accounted for?

5. Does informed common sense make the account probable? (is it appropriate)

6. Is the account corroborated by other accounts?

   • -When was the artifact/document created?

     -What type of PS is it?

     -Who created it?

     -Why was it written/produce?

     -What’s the main point of the author?

     -Is there any evidence?

     -Was it based on the point of view of the author or is it biased?

Provenance

Determines the genuineness of a document based on its origin or custody.

Corroboration

Refers to historical facts supported by the independent testimony of two or more reliable witnesses.