History for humans

Guptajit Pathak asked:


The term ‘history’ is derived from the Greek word ‘historia’ which means ‘information’ or ‘an enquiry designed to elicit truth’. It is just “man — his story” — the story of efforts to satisfy his craving for an orderly social life.

History has been defined by different scholars in different connotations. Though the words and languages used often are different in character, but, the implications are not so different fundamentally.

i. According to the earliest definition of Aristotle, “History is an account of the unchanging past.”

ii. According to Reniev, history can be termed as a study which is concerned with the human past.

iii. E. H. Carr gives a very beautiful definition of history. He says — history is an unending dialogue between the past and the present.

iv. Robinson thinks history could be used for overcoming the natural bewilderment of unfamiliar situation.

There is no universally agreed definition of history. It has been defined differently by different historians.

a) Burckhardt said, “History is the record of what one ages finds worthy of note in another.

b) Carlyle says, history is nothing but the bibliography of great men.

c) According to H. G. Wells, “Human history is in essence a history of ideas.”

d) Miller says, “The course of life is like a sea; men come and go, tides rise and fall, and that is all of history.”

e) Marc Bloch thinks that history is the science of men in time.

Some thinkers are of the view that “God manifested himself in history.”

1) According to Freud, “Historical records are a law of right and wrong.”

2) Jones thinks that history is a veritable mine of life experiences and the youth of today studies history.

3) Henry Johnson gives the view that history is a detailed account of the events that have taken place.

4) Pt. Nehru says, “History is the story of man’s struggle through the ages against nature and the elements; against wild beasts and the jungle and some of his own kind who have tried to keep him down and to exploit him for their own benefit.

5. Dr. Radhakrishnan says, “History is the memory of a nation or a race.”

6. The best definition which is scientific to a great extent, was given by Rapson. According to him, “History is a connected account of the course of events of progress of ideas.”

Guptajit Pathak asked:


No doubt, history subject is not merely a study of events of the past days, it is too the interlink between the past and the present time and a guideline for the future.

Before considering what the implications of history are, it is necessary to note the important limitations of history. History of humans is by no means complete. Many aspects of human work is denied and no steps is made to record, it is one way or the other ways.

After this examination of different written language, important incidents were at times inscribed on stones or metals, but here, varieties of them were lost. Even the different sources seldom through much importance of the ignored parts of the society. Hence, these problems have presence the reconstruction of entire history from the olden days.

All history is not fully authentic or beneficial to us. Sometimes it may be biased. These bias accounts are sometimes very common.

Through history, a step is made to enrich the knowledge of the students and to progress the spirit of self confidence and understanding. Inspite of the impact of history as a subject and source material of study, it has not covered so wide area like other subjects.

History leads to intellectual development of the children. Here, even the people in power were not usually drawing lessons and conclusions from history.

Through the teaching and learning of history, a step has been made to inspire students to make progress in any field of excellence.

History repeats itself. It is unending dialogue between the past and the present. Sometimes it is likely said that history does not repeat itself.

R. G. Collingwood says that the rhythm of historical changes is likely to repeat itself, similar antecedents leading to similar consequences, a study of notable events helps human judgements.

Finally, we have to say that history develops in students—the qualities and performances that may help them to adjust themselves with society. Do we have any method to know the present value and its status of any human endeavour without its history? Present history has become an all embracing, comprehensive subject with almost limitless extent.

Guptajit Pathak asked:


Human history is the outcome of working of factors like political, economic and religious, all of which making simultaneously. Philosophy of topics and aptitudes of the historians or authors make a richness in variety of history.

History is divided into two broad areas, horizontally as well as vertically. Hence, chronology is the basis of horizontal division, while theme is the basis of vertical division. The growing expansion of knowledge in such areas of study has resulted in the creation of more and more specialised branches of historical narration.

From the chronological point of view, history is divided into two parts, i.e., pre-historic era and historic era. For the pre-historic era, written documents are not more while for the historic era it has more documents.

Rausin, the Dutch historian has grouped the historic era in three periods, i.e., ancient, medieval and modern periods.

The human’s and their surroundings interact each other and make different traits in history. The division of history is based upon the contents. Therefore, history is grouped into political, economic, cultural, religious, social etc.

Political history is a branch of history. Its scope is so wide that it has progressed several areas of its own. In this context, mention may be made of the history of military, constitutional, diplomatic, legal and administrative.

Economic history deals with the development of material welfare of the people as a whole. Hence, economic aspects of historical incidence were ignored the pre-historical writing.

Religious history secured much importance in early-times specially when religious chaos were raging. Here, religion was on the ascendancy of human ideology.

In the recent scenario, religious history is covered as a branch of cultural or social history. Cultural history is related with the cultural development through the ages. Social history concerned with entire social life of the humans.

attarehman asked:


A question arises: why have monarchs, generals and the members of upper class acquired celebrity in history? The answer is so simple that as they had dominance and wealth, they engaged historians to note down the history according to their will. Otherwise, the truth is that at their own they could not have contributed much to the process. There are toiling efforts of common people behind them who ended them seem great.

A critical analysis of history reveals the contributions of men who are projected as makers of history. Women are generally overlooked and they have no imposing place in history. Typically they seem to be missing from the process of history for the reason that their role and contribution are not recognized. If we go into fathom, we find that even today women engage themselves in field, cater to animals, keep themselves busy in household duties and look after children.

Since women remain involve in such occupations that’s why the male population gets the time to engross it in social, cultural, political and economic affairs. But now there is also feminist history, in which women are describing their own history. The main purpose of writing of this history is to demostrate their achievements and proves that they have equivalent share in building the history of human race.

A new trend has been setting up as the historians are trying to present history in an interesting and fascinating fashion. They assert and argue that nothing is afar history and they could write history of everything. This is the reason that today they are writing the history of perfumes, tears, fury, flattery etc…you name it. They are also exploring the goods of our daily use.

Historians are putting our intentions to very attractive research by pointing out how scientific inventions have changed our lifestyle. For example, take the simple wrist watch and examine how it regulates our routine life. It makes us time-conscious. We always watch it before doing anything. In a particular manner our all moments are enrolled by time. Not only things but whatever is surrounding us has a history. In the locality where we live, in the market where we go for shopping, and the family we belong to, all have interesting history to be traced in black and white.

The modern historian is also studying the impact of things on our everyday life. For example, how telephone and the cell phone, broadcasting, small screen and computer have changed our manners and routine. No doubt it’s an appealing theme which has need of further research.

Wars have the most dominant place in history. Record of human history is full of battles. Those who remained triumphant in battles are regarded as glorified and their achievements are vastly eulogized. However, hardly ever domino effects of a war are analyzed. For instance, questions stay behind such as what happened to their families of those exterminated in the combat zone. There is no detail in history about those who became war captive and afterward slaves. Also we find no printed material about their mind-set after loosing their independence.

Human race has badly effected by the demolition of wars. These are the wars which not only destroy rural community and municipality but also divest the bliss and pleasure of people. Conversely, in peace time, they enjoy life, sing songs, dance and remain fit in communal and financial activities. This serene life changes when war occurs. At the end of the day it eventuates in a trial of regret and adversity. For that reason, we must criticize those so-called vanquishers who wrought destruction and melancholy on the people to attain their greatness.

The rule of history is that it is not right to trace the events only. It is equally indispensable to evaluate and consider the causes in the wake of the events. Similarly the study of impacts of events on the lives of people is also necessary. For example, it is not a suitable way to illustrate a war involving two powers. Causes of the conflict and later on effects of war must be discussed. Therefore, by knowing these causes, we could be aware of the process of history and discover a message from it because history is an early warning system.

Guptajit Pathak asked:


There is a raging debate over the fact that whether history is an art or science.

History as an Art:

Those who believe that history is an art advocate the following opinion :—

1) According to Rickman, “History deals with sequence of events, each of them unique while science is concerned with the routine appearance of things and aims at generation and the establishment of regularities, governed by laws.”

2) Colingwood says, “Events of history are the things which the historian looks, not at, but through, to discern the thought within.”

3) Some scholars are of the view that history is neither pure science nor pure art. In other words, a blending of the two. When it discovers facts it is a science and when it settles truths, it becomes an art.

4) Some of the people went to the view that history is a part of literature.

5) Historical data are not available for scientific observation and experiment.

6) History is an art only. It cannot be called science. It is not based upon certain concepts and ideologies.

7) Of course, history is a social science, which contacts with human life and actions.

In history, we have a set of the data. It is fully analysed and classified.

History is a science:—

From the following points we can define history as a science.

1) History aims at discovering facts of the past events and interprets them objectively.

2) History uses various traits of enquiry such as observation, classification, formulation of hypothesis and explanation of evidence before reconstructing the past.

3) History follows the trends of enquiry to find out.

4) History seeks to tell the fact by giving a scientific method, hence, it is a science.

5) Is history a science as physics or chemistry or biology are? It is of course a negative question. History is a social science. It deals only with the experiences of human beings and human civilizations.

6) Historical facts cannot be observed.

Then, what is history?

1) History is a unique subject possessing the potentials of both an art and a science.

2) Secondly, history is neither pure science nor art, hence, it is two sides of the same coin.

3) Thirdly, history of course is a social science and an art. In that condition history shows its flexibility and variety.

4) Fourthly, history is a subject of study is less or more completely at the mercy of sources.

5) Fifthly, history is a natural science.

Guptajit Pathak asked:


The new concept of history is more scientific and comprehensive. Though, history is one of the oldest subjects of knowledge, but, history and men are interlinked. Hence, it is not possible to differentiate the two.

It is not merely a chronical of events, it is a wreathe with the events strong on the thread of ideologies. It is said that, ideas are the root cause of all actions. It is the idea or knowledge that have determined the action of men through the times.

Of course, we have to say that ideas are the forces motivating the actions of humans.

History is a story of human race from the very beginning upto the present scenario. It concerns with the different aspects of betterment of human. In this connection only its concept, its term is wide and varied. It also deals with the human actions.

By the new concept, history does not contain only the history of kings and queens, wars and generals, it is the history of the common man, —his house and clothings, his field and cultivation, his continuous and comprehensive efforts to his house and family, and to gain a just government, his expectations, goals, performance, downfall, drawbacks. Not only the individual but the societies are also the subject matter of study of history.

History does not confine itself to the study of human race, to the past days or present one. It too studies the past work and activities of the human. It promotes and provides variety in the study of human experience.

The new concept of history gives emphasis on history an evolutions, birth and development of human civilization through the ages. During the age of classical civilisation of Greece and Rome, a scientific purpose was imparted an history.

History deals with the intellectual progress of humans. The very modern concept of history is wide comprehensive. In this context, importance is given on economic, social, political, religious, military and constitutional areas. Modern concept of history also includes the achievement and deeds of great patriots and warriors. It also gives importance on the positive link and unity which basically exist between the national and world history.

Guptajit Pathak asked:


History is often said to be the ‘queen’ or ‘mother’ of social sciences. Hence, it outdates the other social sciences. No doubt, history is the basis of all subjects of study which fall under the department of humanities and social sciences.

History is the basis of the study of politics, ethics, economics, philosophy, sociology, and even art and religion. Here, it is said to be an indispensable subject in the entire education of men and their lives.

Human beings, primitive as well as civilised put a concept of early times. In the olden times, men wondered from place to place for searching and hunting foods and animals. This people did so much willingly and unwillingly and laid the background of historical knowledge in ancient era.

Still, there emerged no real idea of history. For a critical discussion, the ancient men made no classification between what was real and unreal, what was important and meaningless, what was beneficial or not, what ought to be done or not etc.

It was during the sixth century B. C., the scientific history began to progress. In this regard, mention may be made of the Greeks particularly the loanians laid the background of writing history and its trends. The Greek word ‘historia’ meant learning of a source of information. It is noted that, it passed from Greek to Roman and other languages and occupied a definite, vital and wider implication.

History has a pivotal role in the area of education. No doubt, it acquaints the future citizens with the idea of past and makes such a growth in their conception on the basis of which, they may, build up their present scenario and can prepare for the better future. It is only history which tells as about the human art and civilization. Hence, one famous historian has said, “what men have done and said and above all what they have thought — this is history”.

Graphics of history or historiography is the history of historians’ writing or account. What is significant in it is not the historical events and character, but, historians, their valuable topics or titles of history, their traits and problems find a place.

Basically, the historical concept implies the seeing of events of their real scope, what is co-related to other events. Here, the role of a historian is of great value. His attitude, role towards a growth and progress that decides whether his work can be said as real history or fake.

In conclusion, history is the scientific study of events that have occurred in the human life since its inception. It developed through the ages as a great result of continuous and comprehensive work of historians. Still the human beings and the human civilization reside in the entire world. Here, history contacts all the affairs of universe relating to every human.

Robert Jack asked:


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