History

History is a term that refers to information about the past. When used as the name of a field of study, history refers to the study and interpretation of the record of human people, families, and societies. Knowledge of history is often said to encompass both knowledge of past events and historical thinking skills.

Related Topics:
Information - Past - Human - Families - Societies - Knowledge - Historical thinking

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Traditionally, the study of history has been considered a part of the humanities. However, in modern academia, history is increasingly classified as a social science, especially when chronology is the focus.

Related Topics:
Humanities - Academia - Social science - Chronology

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Historians limit their study to events that have occurred since the introduction of the earliest known written and historical records, i.e. Narmer Palette of circa 3200 BC. Events before then (including more than 99 percent of the time humans have existed) are called prehistory, a period informed by the fields of palaeontology and archaeology. In cultures where written records did not appear until more recent times, oral tradition is used, and even in cultures where written records are common, many historians supplement the written records with oral history.

Related Topics:
Historian - Historical records - Narmer Palette - 3200 BC - Prehistory - Palaeontology - Archaeology - Oral history

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