DEFINITION OF HISTORY

• Historia (Gr.) – inquiry or investigation generated knowledge.
• History is a documented record of man and his society.
• History is not a work of fiction, so it must be supported by evidence.
• A version of the past that isn't backed up by evidence is worthless.
• History is an investigation into the past, often involving gathering and presenting facts.
• History aims to know the causes of events and their effects and provide examples and lessons for the present and the future.
• Res gestae (deeds done) and annales (annals) were frequently used to refer to monumental inscriptions or official records of achievements in Ancient Rome.
• Historie (Fr.) – narrative and narration.
• The process of detailing and documenting past experiences, events and developments with the aim of creating an understandable and meaningful account of the past.
• Geschichte (Ger.) – focus on historical events and the documents and reports that support them.
• Kasaysayan (Filipino) – making sense, declaration, value.
• Eastern/Asian history has a longer historical timeline that dates back thousands of years and emphasizes continuity and cyclical patterns.
• Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism are religions that balance, harmony, and connections.
• Western history, influenced by Judeo-Christian thought, has a linear historical perspective from creation to the culmination or end times.
• The Ancient Greeks, Judeo-Christian theology, and Enlightenment reason, progress, and power of the Supreme Being are related concepts.
• Eastern/Asian history emphasizes the shared experiences of societies and the connections between people and their communities.
• Western history emphasizes individual agency, extraordinary people, and the role individuals play in influencing history.
• History is a record of human development and progress over time.
• History shows how humanity has solved numerous problems over time, demonstrating a pattern in the development of society and humans.
• Historical sources are materials used for the writing of history.
• Classifications of historical sources include primary or secondary sources, written or non-written, published or unpublished, textual, oral or visual sources.
• Primary sources are materials created by individuals or groups who were directly involved in the event or topic under investigation.
• Primary sources related to visual imagery include maps, photographs, sketches, drawings, paintings, cartoons.