SOURCES_OF_HISTORY

Introduction to History

• Quote by George Orwell: "Who controls the present, controls the past; who controls the past, controls the future."

Definition of History

• Understanding more profound meanings of history is crucial as it impacts how we view events and influences the future.

Meaning of History

• Etymology: The term history derives from the Greek word "Historia," which translates to "knowledge acquired by investigation."

Prehistoric Events

• Events that occurred prior to recorded history are deemed prehistoric.

• It involves the memory, discovery, collection, organization, presentation, and interpretation of past events.

• Scholars who study history are known as historians.

Historical Narration

• Historical meaning: History narrates past events regarding humankind, including national rises and falls, and significant political and social transformations.

• Quotation by John Anderson: History accounts for the major changes affecting humanity significantly.

Approaches in Historiography

• Historians utilize various approaches to investigate and interpret history.

  • Factual History: Focuses on basic information regarding events — what happened (what), when it occurred (when), where it took place (where), and people involved (who).

  • Speculative History: Delves deeper into events by focusing on reasons (why) and circumstances (how) around them.

The Practice of Historical Writing

• Historiography: The process of historical writing involves gathering documents from libraries and archives to form a comprehensive narrative.

• Quote by Louis Gottschalk: Discusses the limitations of historical memory and the propagation of information: parts of observed events are often overlooked or forgotten.

Historical Sources

• Historians rely on various sources to depict the past accurately.

  • Primary Sources: Direct evidence from the time of study, allowing researchers to experience history firsthand.

    • Examples: diaries (e.g., Anne Frank), autobiographies (e.g., Nelson Mandela), sound recordings/interviews.

  • Secondary Sources: Evaluations written post-event, providing interpretation of primary sources, such as articles and books.

    • Example: A person relaying information told by another person serves as a secondary source.

Advantages and Disadvantages**

• Primary Sources:

  • Advantages: Provide unfiltered access to historical experiences and actions.

  • Disadvantages: Can be incomplete and lack context requiring further analysis to draw conclusions.

• Secondary Sources:

  • Advantages: Provide comprehensive analysis and background information about topics.

  • Disadvantages: Reliability may be questionable and they do not provide firsthand knowledge.

Types of Written Historical Sources

• Narrative or Literary: Provide storytelling aspects of history.

• Diplomatic or Juridical: Legal documents affirming transactions and actions relevant to judicial processes.

• Social Documents: Records from government organizations that give insight into economic or social conditions (e.g., census records).

Historical Criticism

• Purpose: Establish forms and content of historical sources for validity and reliability.

  • External Criticism: Evaluates authenticity. Identifies any forgeries.

  • Internal Criticism: Assesses the credibility and veracity of the information presented.

Tests of Authenticity**

1. Document dating and relevance.

2. Examining authorship for handwriting or signatures.

3. Analyzing chronologically misplaced references.

4. Provenance to ascertain genuineness.

Tests of Credibility**

1. Evaluating author’s reliability and intent.

2. Determining accuracy by assessing the witness's proximity to the event.

Conclusion

• The significance of history and its interpretations illuminate the ongoing dialogues concerning past events that shape the present and future.

• Encouragement to inquire further by formulating questions about historical narratives.