Question 1 - 3 Marks Questions - Chapter 1 Class 8 History - The Modern Period - History

What is history? How has the study of history evolved over time?

Answer:

Answer by Student

• History is the study of the past events and their causes and effects.
• History is based on sources , which are the materials that provide information about the past.
• History is influenced by methods and perspectives , which are the ways that historians analyze and interpret the sources.

Detailed Explanation by Teachoo

• History is the study of the past events and their causes and effects. History is derived from the Greek word historía, which means inquiry or knowledge from inquiry. History is not just a collection of facts, but a critical examination and interpretation of the evidence that is available. History helps us understand how people, societies, and cultures have changed over time, and how they have influenced the present and the future.
  
  
• The study of history has evolved over time as different sources, methods, and perspectives have been used by historians.
  
  
  • Sources are the materials that provide information about the past, such as written documents, oral accounts, art and material artifacts, and ecological markers.  Sources can be primary or secondary, depending on whether they were produced at the time of the event or later by someone who did not witness it. Sources can also be biased or unreliable, depending on the purpose and perspective of the creator. Historians need to critically analyze and evaluate the sources they use to reconstruct the past.
    
    
  • Methods are the ways that historians analyze and evaluate the sources, such as chronology, comparison, causation, continuity and change, etc. ³ Methods can also involve using different approaches or theories to understand and explain the past, such as political, social, economic, cultural, etc. Historians need to use appropriate and rigorous methods to support their arguments and conclusions.
    
    
  • Perspectives are the viewpoints or frameworks that historians use to understand and explain the past, such as political, social, economic, cultural, etc.  Perspectives can also reflect the personal or professional background, beliefs, values, and biases of the historians themselves. Historians need to acknowledge their own perspectives and consider alternative or opposing perspectives to avoid being one-sided or dogmatic.

Thus, history is a dynamic and evolving discipline that seeks to understand and explain the past events and their causes and effects.