The Benefits of Analyzing History
The Benefits of Analyzing History
History is the systematic study of human action over time. Human history spans the history of the human species from the Stone Age to the modern era. Prehistoric events before the invention of written languages were often regarded as prehistorical. “Prehistorially” means earlier than or even during the times of literary geniuses. ” Historiography” is a branch of history concerned with interpreting prehistoriometric data.
The study of history can be divided into two main areas: objective history and subjective history. Objective history describes events and trends as they affect society in the here and now. Subjective history presents events and trends as they affect individuals within society. There have been many theories developed on the study of history, which include socio-cultural studies, mass media, nationalism, ethnic sentiments, ideologies, and power relationships.
There are some historians who do not accept the legitimacy of literary critics and insist on the reliability of primary sources such as ancient epics such as the Iliad and the Homer. These critics argue that such books contain no social analysis, political context, or psychological assessment and that they do not attempt to make sense of history. On the other hand, some historians make sense of history by analyzing specific instances and themes through written sources. Such scholars analyze specific political, cultural, or historical phenomena with a view to understand how people acted towards each other across time and place.
No single writer can claim to be the father of modern history. However, several historians have been responsible for important developments in the field. Alexander Smith’s 1834 publication marked the birth of modern historical research. Some years later Edmund Spenser provided a revival of ancient Greek history that placed great stress on Greece’s role in Europe’s expansion and development. Another important literary historian who had a major impact on the shaping of modern historical thought was Niobe Hernan. She argued that the rise of mass society erased the individuality and distinctiveness of individuals in ancient societies such as Greece and Rome.
Historians have provided insights on ancient civil conflicts and societal changes that affected people in different ways. For example, Thucydides wrote about the Peloponnesian War, the characteristics of the Athenians that contributed to their victory over the Trojans, and the way the city of Athens rebelled against its more powerful neighbors. Some historians have provided estimates and broad historical perspectives. For example, Sir Richard Francis Burton and Sir Alfred Wallace were among the first modern historians to give detailed accounts of the civil war in England. After the publication of Frances Hillman’s Woman’s Guide to the Stars, historians started taking an interest in the life of European women during this time period.
In the field of history, there are two general categories: those who write history as a professional and those who write as an amateur. The professional historians specialize in providing historical writing about specific time periods and historical events. The amateur historians do not have specific subjects in mind, but rather write about general themes. For example, these authors could write about Ancient Greece or Rome. However, if they have specific questions in mind about certain events or places, they are more likely to utilize sources such as encyclopedias, newspapers, or magazines to get the answers.