History (derived from Ancient Greek

ἱστορία (historía) 'inquiry; knowledge

acquired by investigation')[1] is the
systematic study and documentation of
the human past.[2][3]

The period of events before the

invention of writing systems is
considered prehistory.[4] "History" is
an umbrella term comprising past
events as well as the memory,
discovery, collection, organization,
presentation, and interpretation of these
events. Historians seek knowledge of
the past using historical sources such as
written documents, oral accounts, art
and material artifacts, and ecological
markers.[5] History is incomplete and
still has debatable mysteries.

History is an academic discipline which

uses a narrative to describe, examine,
question, and analyze past events, and
investigate their patterns of cause and
effect.[6][7] Historians debate which
narrative best explains an event, as well
as the significance of different causes
and effects. Historians debate the nature
of history as an end in itself, and its
usefulness in giving perspective on the
problems of the present.[6][8][9][10]

Stories common to a particular culture,

but not supported by external sources
(such as the tales surrounding King
Arthur), are usually classified as
cultural heritage or legends.[11][12]
History differs from myth in that it is
supported by verifiable evidence.
However, ancient cultural influences
have helped create variant
interpretations of the nature of history,
which have evolved over the centuries
and continue to change today. The
modern study of history is wide-
ranging, and includes the study of
specific regions and certain topical or
thematic elements of historical
investigation. History is taught as a part
of primary and secondary education,
and the academic study of history is a
major discipline in universities.
Herodotus, a 5th-century BC Greek
historian, is often considered the "father
of history", as one of the first historians
in the Western tradition,[13] though he
has been criticized as the "father of
lies".[14][15] Along with his
contemporary Thucydides, he helped
form the foundations for the modern
study of past events and societies.[16]
Their works continue to be read today,
and the gap between the culture-
focused Herodotus and the military-
focused Thucydides remains a point of
contention or approach in modern
historical writing. In East Asia, a state
chronicle, the Spring and Autumn
Annals, was reputed to date from as
early as 722 BC, though only 2nd-
century BC texts have survived.!.[5][6]