Tradition of Historiography and Modern Historiography | History | Standard 10 | MSBSHSE (SSC)

Summary

The transcript explores the tradition of historiography, which is the critical examination of historical sources and writing of historical narratives. It highlights that historians use a conceptual framework to interpret events and that historiography wasn't common in ancient societies. However, ancient people conveyed their past through methods like cave paintings, storytelling, and songs. Modern historiography, rooted in ancient Greek writings, emphasizes a scientific method, anthropocentric questions, evidence-based answers, and traces human history through documented deeds. Herodotus, a Greek historian, is credited with pioneering the term 'history.'

Takeaways

• 📜 Historiography refers to the critical examination and writing of historical narratives.
• 🧑‍🏫 A historian analyzes and interprets historical events based on a conceptual framework.
• 📚 The historian's narrative cannot include every event from the past, as it is shaped by their approach.
• 🏛️ Ancient societies did not practice formal historiography but still passed down stories of ancestors through oral traditions, cave paintings, songs, and ballads.
• 🎨 These traditional methods are now considered important sources of history in modern historiography.
• 🔬 Modern historiography relies on scientific principles, starting with the formation of specific, relevant questions.
• 👥 These questions are anthropocentric, focusing on human activities rather than divine intervention.
• 📖 Modern historiography uses reliable evidence to support its findings and conclusions.
• 🗺️ It maps out mankind’s journey by analyzing past human actions and their effects.
• 🏺 The roots of modern historiography can be traced back to ancient Greek historical writings, with Herodotus being the first to use the term 'history' in the 5th century BCE.

Q & A

What is historiography?

Historiography is the writing of critical historical narratives, examining historical sources and writing historical accounts.

Who is a historian?

A historian is a scholar who writes critical historical narratives.

What determines a historian's style of writing?

A historian's style of writing is determined by the conceptual framework they adopt while interpreting historical events.

Was historiography prevalent in ancient societies?

No, historiography was not prevalent in ancient societies, but they used other means like storytelling, cave paintings, and ballads to pass on history.

What were the traditional means used by ancient communities to pass on historical knowledge?

Ancient communities used cave paintings, storytelling, singing songs, and ballads to pass on stories of ancestors.

What are the main characteristics of modern historiography?

Modern historiography is based on scientific principles, focuses on human deeds, relies on reliable evidence, and presents mankind's journey through past events.

What does 'anthropocentric' mean in the context of modern historiography?

'Anthropocentric' means that modern historiographical questions are centered on the deeds of human societies rather than divine intervention.

How is modern historiography different from ancient methods of recording history?

Modern historiography relies on scientific methods, whereas ancient methods involved storytelling, cave paintings, and ballads.

Who is considered the father of history and why?

Herodotus, a Greek historian from the 5th century BCE, is considered the father of history because he was the first to use the term 'history' in his book 'The Histories'.

What is the significance of Greek historical writings in modern historiography?

Greek historical writings, particularly those of Herodotus, are considered foundational to modern historiography due to their emphasis on human actions and evidence-based narrative.