Intro.

to History
Assignment # 01 Define History and Its Nature

Mehtab Alam 2/2/21 1st semester

Name: Mehtab Alam
Roll No: FA20-BIR-025
Session: Bs-IR (2020-2024)
Semester: 1st
Instructor: Mrs. Sabah Kazmi
Intro. To History
Define History and Its Nature according to different factors
Define History:
History is derived from a Greek word ‘Historia’ which means Enquiry, Research,
Exploration or Information. History is the study of past human events and activities. In its
broadest sense history is everything that we know has happened. History can be called
mother of social sciences as it helps to understand political Science, Economic and
Sociology.
Nature of History
The nature of history is too complex and its scope is too vast, touching almost every
domain of human activity. History is not static as it looks at how man progress. Here are
few factors which are very important while defining the nature of history.

• Time:
Time is one of the most important factors which history has for organizing information
and establishing how elements of past are related to each other. While understanding
history we often ask questions like “When did this happen?” “In what order did these
events occur?” and “How the events of past are related to the events of today?”

• Space:
The uses of space while defining history can be used to understand societies, culture and
mentalities of past. Space mean emplacement, distribution and connection of entities,
actions and ideas. It can help us in understanding different religious and social structure
that were in place during a specific period.

• Causation:
Causation in history means searching for the cause of an event. It refers to the idea that
every historical event was initiated or caused by developments that happened before. It
helps us understand why certain thing happened the way they did? and these events are
related to other events in past.
• Facts and Opinions:
In history, differentiating between facts and opinions really matters a lot.
Fact is the objective information that is true for everyone, no matter how you look at it.
For example, sugar is sweat.
Opinions are a perspective or believe that may or may not be true for everyone. For
example, I don’t like sugar.
Much of that has happened or currently happening is a fact but there are also opinions
related to these events or ideas. So, it is important to tell the difference between two.
Facts are the truth no matter what while opinions are the interpretation of those facts.

• Objectivity and Subjectivity:

Objectivity means that we should look at the history at it is without any personal biases.
We should deal with the facts or conditions as perceived without distortion by personnel
believes, prejudices or interpretations.
Subjectivity is an opinion or how someone perceive the events of past. A lot of time we
have implicit biases, biases we don’t even know that we have. So, subjectivity in history
means looking at the history from someone else’s perspective. It might be or might not be
true.

With the help of history, we can learn how past societies, system, ideologies and
government operated and how they have change. It helps us to better understand the
events of past and their affect on our present and future.

The End