1. What is History?
Definition: The study and interpretation of the past through records
Recollection, analysis, study of all aspects of the past.
Written documents
Artifacts
Art
Scientific Records (DNA, bone structure)
Oral Traditions
Culture

2. What are the limitations of historical knowledge
History is sometimes incomplete because most human beings and many civilizations do not leave behind many records.
Our fragmentary historical record is limited by bias (our own personal prejudices and beliefs)
The times and our values change.

3. Why do we study history? Because some of us think it is fascinating.
To imaginatively project ourselves into lost worlds and vanished times, to get the feeling for texture of everyday life.
To understand fundamental assumptions and values that are sometimes different from our own.
History offers difficult choices and moral dilemmas

4. Why do we study history? cont….
To understand the present
To understand the ways the past can mislead and be used as a weapon.
To understand that the way things turned out was NOT inevitable.
To introduce students to greatness

5. How we Study History

6. How we Study History

7. How we Study History

8. How we Study History

9. How we Study History

10. How we Study History

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12. How we Study History

13. Primary v.s. Secondary Sources
Primary Source
Documents or Sources that are written at the time of the event
Documents or Sources that were written by someone involved in the event
Usually first-hand accounts
Secondary Source
Documents or Sources that are written after the event, sometimes long after the event
Documents or Sources that are written usually by someone not involved in the event
Usually second-hand accounts in which the author may consult with people who witnessed the event.

14. Primary v.s. Secondary Sources
Primary Source Examples
Diaries
Journals
Letters
Speeches
Laws
Autobiographies
Memoirs
Newspapers
Real Video Footage
Secondary Source Examples
Some Biographies
Textbooks
History Books
Movies
Usually the author consults more than one source before writing

15. Why do we need them?
Primary Sources provide us knowledge of what was really happening at the time of the historical events.
We understand the major characters involved and what their motives were
It provides us with a little more colorful look at the history
Secondary Sources provide us with a good summary of the events and analysis or commentary by a person knowledgeable of the history (a historian). Sometimes secondary sources help explain what really went on behind the scenes, and it may give a more total picture of the history.

16. Example of a Primary Source
This is a primary source because this document was written during the American Revolution, it was a key piece of writing during the time period and was very significant during the time in which the Revolution took place

17. Example of a Secondary Source
This book is a secondary source. It was written a few years ago in the early 2000’s by an author who was not alive during the Revolution. The author consulted both primary and secondary sources during the writing of his book. He gives a summary of the events that happened in the 1776 by referencing from both Primary and Secondary Sources

18. Quotes About History
Aldous Huxley: The charm of history and its enigmatic lesson consist in the fact that, from age to age, nothing changes and yet everything is completely different.
David Ben Gurion: Anyone who believes you can't change history has never tried to write his memoirs.
Henry Ford: History is more or less bunk.

19. Quotes About History
Mark Twain: A historian who would convey the truth must lie. Often he must enlarge the truth by diameters, otherwise his reader would not be able to see it.
Maya Angelou: History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.
Winston Churchill: History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.