History, Historicity, Historiography, and the Historian

These vocabulary flashcards cover the fundamental concepts, definitions, and methodologies of history as a discipline, including the roles of the historian and the distinctions between history, historicity, and historiography.

Historia

The Greek word meaning "learning or knowing by inquiry," as defined by Aristotle.

Herodotus

The "Father of History" who shifted narratives from myth to human agency to preserve the memory of great deeds.

Zeitgeist

The "spirit of time" that Tosh (2002) states history requires looking at.

Marc Bloch's Definition of History

The "science of men in time" (1949).

Gottshalk's Definition of History

The "interpretive study of the recorded past of humanity" (1950).

E.H. Carr's Definition of History

A continuous process of interaction between the historian and his facts, and an "unending dialogue between the present and the past" (1961).

Annales School

A school of contemporary historians who argue history should be "total," covering food, climate, emotions, and the lives of common folk.

Mentalités

The mindset or collective way of thinking of a specific era or group of people.

Heuristics

The first stage of historical research focused on the "gathering of evidence," including documents, artifacts, or oral testimonies.

Multi-perspectivity

The practice of seeking various sources to ensure a historian is not just reading the "propaganda of the victors."

Historical Criticism

The sifting process of historical research involving external and internal verification.

External Criticism (Provenance)

The "detective work" used to determine if a document is authentic by checking physical attributes like paper, ink, and era consistency.

Internal Criticism (Credibility)

The analysis of a document's truthfulness, evaluating the author's bias, state of mind, and whether they were present during the event.

Interpretation and Synthesis

The stage where a historian connects facts to form a coherent story and explain cause and effect through "imaginative understanding."

Anachronism

The mistake of judging people from the past by modern moral or technological standards.

Critical Literacy

A tool developed through history that trains the brain to identify bias and propaganda and understand complex, non-binary issues.

The Usable Past

Concept by Peter Stearns (1998) where history provides background context for modern issues, such as urban planning or economic prevention.

Historiography

The examination of the techniques, research methods, and interpretations used by historians.

Historicity

The study of whether an event is real or did it actually happen, focusing on the evidence of existence.

History from Below

A modern historical perspective focusing on the lives of peasants, women, laborers, and the colonized rather than just the victors.

Oral Tradition

A primary source for history in cultures without written records, considered credible when analyzed with proper historiographical tools.

George Santayana's Warning

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."