Transcript recreation of the past

History – What is It?
 A record of the past
 Events (battles, elections, ceremonies, etc.)
 People (famous, or everyday)
 Locations (monuments, battlefields, cemeteries)
 Buildings
 Documents
 Artifacts (objects from the past)
 Visuals (pictures, drawings, video)
 And many other things
History – A Definition
 History is a recreation of the past (as closely as possible)
through the gathering and analysis of authentic (real)
historical information from many sources.
 The goal is to be as accurate and objective as possible –
presenting a fair and balanced account of history.
 Historians should allow the reader/student to form their
own judgments based on the evidence presented.
 Historians should always avoid presenting a biased or
slanted view of history in which they try to win over
others to their beliefs and opinions.
Types of Historical Information
Primary Sources
Authentic, real, verifiable
Part of an event
Documents
Artifacts
Interviews
Diaries
Pictures/Films
Participants (those who were
actually present at a
historical event)
Secondary Sources
Created after historical
events
Reproduction items
History books
Movies
News sources – T.V.,
internet, newspapers
Reenactments (such as the
“mock” battles at Newtown
Battlefield)
Where Does Historical Information
Come From?
• Historians must act like detectives – gathering and using
any useful information that will help to explain past
events and recreate history.
 In many cases, historians turn to the Social Sciences for
information.
 The Social Sciences study human society and individual
relationships within Society and include many different
types of scientists.
• Historians practice the Social Scientific Method (stating
a problem, gathering evidence, reaching a hypothesis/
conclusion and reevaluating constantly through the
gathering of new evidence) to recreate and explain the
past.
Social Sciences That History Depends On:
•Archaeology
The study of evidence
(artifacts) left behind by
people in order to explore
their way of life (culture).
Artifact – An object
made by humans in the
past (such as an
arrowhead or clay pot).
Anthropology
The study of the
development of a people
and their culture (way of
life).
Anthropologists study the
way that people live both
in the past and present to
understand a culture.
Economics
The study of how people manage
resources to meet wants and needs.
For example: how do we use our
shrinking energy resources (oil,
natural gas, coal) to power our
airplanes, trucks, cars, and trains to
move goods around the world?
Geography
•Geography is the study
of people, their
environment, and their
resources.
• Geographers study how
humans and the
environment impact each
other.
Psychology and Sociology
Psychology is the
study of how people
think and behave.
Sociology is the study
of how people behave
in groups.
Political Science
Political Science is
the study of ideas on
government and how
they are used and
organized.
The Sciences
• Medical and Forensic Testing
• DNA Analysis
• Computer Analysis (reconstructions,
recreations, simulations, and mapping).
• Chemical Analysis