Definition and Sources of History

Introduction

~ Hello learners, today I'm going to introduce you to the subject History. You may wonder why you study history and maybe why it is important. Refresh your mind a bit and get ready because today I'm about to clear your doubts on the subject, from defining it even extending our lesson to list and explain the  sources of History, just in case if you decide to study the subject in the first place. Here we go...

 The Definition of History

- History is the study of change over time covering all aspects of human society.

- It is the study of man and his activities in different times.

- It can also be defined as the study of past events, particularly in human affairs.

- In these events it is shown how mankind obtained his basic needs(food, clothes and shelter)

- History helps us to understand our origin.

- It helps us to investigate complex issues.

- It helps us to understand the relationship between people/ groups of people in different periods.

- It helps us to get knowledge on societies, institutions or families etc.

- It helps us to understand technological advances in human life e.g from stone age to

iron age.

- History enables us to understand how man has been working in his environment.

- History helps us to understand the past and the present, and  help us to predict the future.

- Here we will look at the various sources of history.

- History as something which occurred in the past, the sources of history help to give a look at what transpired in various past events.

- The three main sources of studying history are archaeology, written evidence/records and oral tradition.

- Despite the importance of the different sources of history, one should not rely on one source of history when studying the past events.

- One source can be used to verify facts presented by another or other sources.

- Other sources of historical information are:

 • Anthropology

 • Historical sites

 • Archives

 • Museums

 • Audio or Visual recordings

 • Linguistics

            3 MAIN SOURCES OF HISTORY

A. ORAL TRADITION

• This involves the passing of information by

word of mouth through talking and listening.

• Oral Tradition passes historical informationo nto two ways : 

a) Narration of past events.

b) Through cultural practices like art, religion, riddles, songs,

proverbs, superstition, poems and

folktales.

        IMPORTANCES OF ORAL TRADITION

• It historical information of society.

• It collects and passes historical I

nformation between generations in the society.

• It helps researchers in data collection.

          ADVANTAGES OF ORAL TRADITION

• It preserves and reveal historical information which are not recorded.

• Both illiterate and literate people can acquire such information.

• Within it are warnings and teachings.

• It is the easiest and the cheapest method of obtaining historical information.

• It is more live source, since it involves physical interaction.

           DISADVANTAGES OF ORAL TRADITION

• False information can be given by at story teller.

• It needs much attention and power of memory.

• Translation is very difficult because some languages are no longer in existence.

• Narration of past events are centered to those people of status.

ie. rulers of that period. While talking little about common society.

• There are language problems when narrators use vernacular language.

• It is difficult to distinguish what is real and what is biased information.

B. WRITTEN EVIDENCE

- These are the documents which comprise written historical information.

- They includes books, letters, maps, magazines, journals, newspaper, minutes of meetings and conferences.

- Written records can be found in libraries, schools, colleges, universities, internet cafes, offices etc.

        FUNCTIONS OF WRITTEN EVIDENCE

(a) Written records provides pictures of society.

(b) These records reflect public opinion at the time of writing. For example, the letters to the editor in newspaper express the readers 'feelings on current issue.

(c) Written records serve as stores of a large variety of information, including discoveries, government policies, statements, religious beliefs, fashion, speeches and agreements.

(d) In-depth reports of daily events are kept as written records. For example, in a diary, newspaper or blography.

     ADVANTAGES OF WRITTEN EVIDENCE

• It is easy to get information.

• Easy to make references.

• It is helpful in doing researches.

• They can be kept for a long time.

   DISADVANTAGES OF WRITTEN EVIDENCE

• It is difficult to read everything from written records.

• They are subject to be badly written records.

• Written records are only applicable to the literate people, they cannot be used by illiterate people this is why they usually only benefit the literate society. The illiterate community can be left out by some important historical information which will be in the written evidence.

• There is no immediate response to written records. Unlike the oral tradition which is interactive, written records are not interactive and the researcher cannot acquire all the information he or she would want from a single source. This would require the researcher to acquire information from the other sources of history.

• There are chances of misinterpretation of the written information by the researcher because there is no person to explain the message of the information or its content.The researcher may end up making use of assumptions rather than correct infomation or he or she can refer to other sources of history.

 C. ARCHAEOLOGY

- Archaeology is the scientific study of the àncient and recent human past through material remains. 

- It is an aspect of anthropology, which is the study of all human culture.

- It encompasses the study of human activities through the recovery and analysis of material culture which existed from different past activities.

- Archeological records consist artefacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts and cultural landscapes.(e.g stone tools, pottery vessels, weapons, Jewelery and carvings among others)

- This is the study of the material remains of man's past through scientific methods.

- The one who specializes in archaeology is called an ARCHAEOLOGIST.

- Archaeology involve excavations (digging) of the remains of man's past historical sites and interpretation.

- The famous archaeologist in East Africa was Dr, Louis Leaky with his wife Mary Leakey.

- Archaeology involves the use of carbon 14 dating to determine plants and animal remains.

             FUNCTIONS OF ARCHAEOLOGY

• Gives important information aboout man through different stages.

• It is a useful method of revealing soil covered historical remains.

• It arouse curiosity of searching past man historical information.

            ADVANTAGES OF ARCHAEOLOGY

• It helps to know when and how people lived in a certain place.

• Past objects tells us about the life and culture of past people.

• It helps us to know and reveal the technology, pastoral, agricultural and commercial activities of the past man.

• Through excavation we get knowledge of artifacts e.g pottery, buildings etc.

• It reveal the religious beliefs of the past man.

• We can compliment other sources of information through archaeology. eg. history.

• We can know the past relationship between different people such as trading activities, migration, marriage, birth, death and political relation.

         DISADVANTAGES OF ARCHAEOLOGY

• It consumes time because of excavation.

• It can not reveal the past people's language.

• It can not give out reasons for historical events such as wars.

• It needs full experts and advanced technology.

• Poorly interpreted remains can bring false information.

• It can not tell anything about the past social organization.

               OTHER SOURCES OF HISTORY

(a) Historical Sites

- These are special places where by the past

human remains can be found and shown

to the public.

- These are places in which the remains of

once lived human in the past can be found.

- They comprise man's physical

development, tools that were made

and used from time to time.

- In these areas we find/see past

human products and animal bones.

• Examples of historical sites include Ismila,

Olduvai Gorge, Kondoa Irangi, Bagamoyo,

Zanzibar, Kilwa, , Mafia, Engaruka, Kagera

etc in Tanzania.Nsongezi, Biggo, Ntubi, Rusinga island,Magosi and Ishago in Uganda.lake Rudolf (Turkana), Lake Naivasha, Njoro, Olongesailie, Lake Magadi, Lamu, Mombasa and Mt. Kenya. In kenya.

        FUNCTIONS OF HISTORICAL SITES

• Preserve historical information for the coming generations.

• They are useful sources of information and to reconstruct history.

• They are the symbols of social cultural heritage to the society concern past human tools, rock, paints etc.

       ADVANTAGES OF HISTORICAL SITES.

• They helps for practical historical learning

e.g Through observation of the past human tools, rock, paints.

• Used to reveal past settlement patterns, levels of technology economic development of political organization-reached by the past societies.

• Act as centers of tourism.

• They help in transforming theoretical teaching of history to practical historical learning.

• They act as the resource center to researchers.

• It provides employment opportunities: eg guiders.

    DISADVANTAGES OF HISTORICAL SITES

• It brings confusion to interpret the remains found in historical sites

• Many of the historical sites are found on remote areas hence difficult for many people to visit them.

(b) Archives

• These are places where collection of private and public documents and old records are preserved.

• These documents includes personal letters, Early Travelers and Missionary records, Traders writings, personal and government files, political parties documents, etc.

                   FUNCTION OF ARCHIVES

• Archives preserve public and private records that have enduring value to the society.

• The records in the archives are made available for use by the public. However not all records can be viewed by everyone.

• Archives collect records of enduring value from various places. For example, the nation archives have records from different regions of the country.

• The archives staff maintains registers of the record in the archives.

• Archives promote awareness of the availabilities and use of non - current records to the public.

• Archives have facilities for restoring damaged documents of enduring value.

• The historical information in the archives ensures continuity. For example, company policies from previous years can still guide the employees today.

                 ADVANTAGES OF ARCHIVES

1. Easy to identify ideas and literacy level of the past man.

2. It is easy to identify the exact date of historical event.

3. It used to store historical information.

4. Easy to get historical information from different places and different people.

             DISADVANTAGES OF ARCHIVES

1. It may lead false information, if author is biased.

2. IIliterate people can not get historical information.

3.It is not easy to get information of the society whose information are not documented.

4. It is difficult to get remote information from archives.

5. It is non renewable once disrupted either by wind or other external forces.

(c) Museums

- These are places or buildings where information and objects are preserved.

- It involves all terms which shows culture, political economic and technological development from the past to present.

- Objects can be Early coins, clothes, minerals cowries, religious and ceremonial symbols.

* Museums can be national, Regional, Districts and village.

e.g National Museums in Dar es salaam,

Bagamoyo, Butiama, Kalenga - Iringa

                    FUNCTIONS OF MUSEUMS

1. Preserve historical documents and objects.

2. Shows concrete remains of objects.

3. It is the place for tourist and study tour.

4. It is the center for cultural and national identity.

                ADVANTAGES OF MUSEUMS

1. It preserve objects which are used as teaching alds.

2. Museums preserve culture and national Identity.

3. It used by researchers (source of information).

4. It acts as tourist center.

5. People learn about technological development.

6. Enable learners to arouse creativity

           DISADVANTAGES OF MUSEUMS.

1.It needs knowledgeable people.

2. It is possible to distort information through biases by the museum attendant.

3. Poor preservation of the past items e.g coins, pieces of cloth, slaves chain can distort information.

4. It needs extensive care to maintain it's beauty or origin.

(d) Linguistics

- It is the scientific study and analysis of language.

- It includes the study of sound, structure, information and relationship between various language groups.

           ADVANTAGES OF LINGUISTICS

1. It helps to get information from various sources.

2. Enable to discover links between different people.

3. It helps to determine dates of historical events e.g "Aluta Continua" (period of struggle for independence in Mozambique).

              LIMITATIONS OF LINGUISTICS

1. It consumes time and finance learning a particular language.

2. Through translation one can commit some important work.

3. The present language may be corrupted.

(e) Anthropology

- It is the study of the society's cultural systems, beliefs, ideas etc.

- The study can give important information about movements, settlements and production activities of the past.

                              *NOTE BASIC*

   * The 2 LEVELS OF STUDYING HISTORY *

1st level : History explains about man's

     struggle to master his environment

     e.g People irrigating because of drought.

2nd level : History shows the relationship

      between man and man's past.

      ie. Hunters and gathers or people met in

      hunting killed the prey and shared it.

~ That's all for today if you found anything useful in this post please like and share it with friends so that we continue posting similar information. A good day to you all and bye bye for now.