Historiography &

Historical Interpretation
So tell me why do we study
history
 Why Study History?

“If you do not like the

past, change it.”
William L. Burton
Why Study History

“Life must be lived

forward, but
understood
backward.”
Kierkegaard
 Why Study History?
“…what happened in the
past influences what
happens in the present,
and, indeed, what will
happen in the future, so
that knowledge of the
past – history – is
essential to society.”
Arthur Marwick
 The Historical Approach
How can we understand anything of other
people or ourselves, if we know nothing of
history? The historian shows us how
change has worked in the past and helps us
to understand the present and make
educated guesses about the future.
‘ What is Historiography??

Historiography is the written

record of what is known of
human lives and societies in the
past and how historians have
attempted to understand them’.
Now lets look at the following pictures

You will be telling me what you see there

‘[The] History of history.
The writing of history
based on the critical
examination of sources; a
narrative that will stand the
test of critical methods’.
 lets have a look at this video for more clarity of the same

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBVdxu3ZWB4
Methods of various disciplines
are useful in historical research.
For example, Archaeology,
Archival Science,
Manuscriptology, Epigraphy
(Study of inscriptions), Analysis
of lettering style, Linguistics,
Numismatics (Study of coins),
Genealogy (Study of lineage),
etc.
Four main characteristics of modern
historiography
(1) Its method is based on scientific principles.
It begins with the formation of relevant
questions.
(2) These questions are anthropocentric. It
means that these questions are about the
deeds of the members of ancient human
societies of a particular period. History does
not suggest any interrelation between the
Divine and human deeds.
(3) Answers to these questions are supported by
reliable evidence.
(4) History presents a graph of mankind’s journey
with the help of past human deeds. It
Historiography
⬥ Historiography is the
writing of history.
⬥ It is what historians
do.
⬥ Historians vary
widely in what they
feel is significant and
important about the
past.
Let us have a look at the contributions of the few
notable scholars.

Voltaire’s original name was François-Marie Arouet.

He was French. He opined that along with objective
truth and chronology of historical events considering
social traditions, trade, economy, agriculture, etc. was
also equally important in historiography. It gave rise to
the thought that understanding all aspects of human
life is important for history writing. Thus, it is said that
Voltaire was the founder of modern historiography.
egel was a German philosopher.
He insisted that the historical
reality should be presented in a
logical manner. To him the
timeline of historical events was
indicative of progress.
According to Karl Marx, history was
not about abstract ideas; it was about
living people. Human relationships
are shaped by the fundamental needs
of people and the ownership as well
as nature of prevalent means of
production to meet those needs. The
accessibility of these means to
different strata of the society may not
be equal.
Job #1 – Finding the Facts
⬥ What are facts?
⬥ Which facts are important?
⬥ Are facts enough to explain
the past?

The historian investigates

facts and selects relevant
ones. This is an art and not
a science.
 Job #2 – Dispensing With the
Rubbish – Identifying Important and
Answerable Questions.
⬥ Sources must be selected critically.
⬥ Topics need to be limited.
⬥ Primary and secondary sources must be
consulted.
⬥ Value judgments are made.
⬥ Conclusions must be based on the weight of
evidence.
⬥ Variations in interpretations should be understood
and accepted.
 Types of Sources
⬥ Primary Sources were
produced at the time an
event occurred and are
directly connected to the
events. Examples are:
– Photographs
– Memos
– Dispatches
– Cartoons
– Newspaper articles
– Art works
– Literary works
Grigori Rasputin
 Types of Sources
⬥ Secondary sources are
sources produced after
the fact – looking back on
the events with the
benefit of hindsight. They
offer an analysis or
restatement of primary
source material.
Examples include:
– Textbooks.
– Books about art or
literature
– Movies
– Documentaries
 Job #3 – Presenting an Account
⬥ Historians share their
work and present it
for criticism.
⬥ Books and essays are
the chief written
forms.
⬥ Accounts are
narrative or analytical.
Controversial historian
– David Irving