History: An Introdction

History is the past as it is described in written documents, and the study thereof. Events occurring before written records are considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term that relates to past events as well as the memory, discovery, collection, organization, presentation, and interpretation of information about these events.

1. Introduction to History
BoutkhilGuemide
University Mohammed Boudiaf, M’sila
Algeria

3. The Meaning of History
History:A narrative account of past events.
French:histoire, the Latin notion of historia,
and the Greek construction of istoria,
The basic sense of a knowledge of the past.
In these early concepts, the sense of history
encompassed both an imaginative story of
events and a narrative or chronicle of past
events.

5. A chronological record of significant events
(as affecting a nation or institution) often
including an explanation of their causes
A study of the events of the past, how and
why they happened, as well as what
happened as a result
A branch of knowledge that records and
explains past events
What is History?

6. Historyisthestudyofthepastinorderto
understandthemeaninganddynamicsof
therelationshipbetweencauseandeffect
intheoveralldevelopmentofhuman
societies.
Itskeyfeatureisitsbroadrangeofinquiry,
asitisasmuchconcernedwithwide
perspectives,generalexplanations,and
fundamentalquestions,aswithspecific
detailorevents,andtheparticular
interpretationofsourcesandevidence.

7. Why do we study history?

8. History Helps Us Understand
OUR WORLD
■Youcannotunderstandpeopleifyoudonot
understandtheirpast
■Youcannotunderstandourcommunityifyou
donotknowhowitcametobe
■Youcannotunderstandournationwithout
history
■Youcannotunderstandourworldifyoudo
notunderstandhistory

9. History Give Us Identity
■Studyinghistorygivespeopleasenseof
nationalism
■Itgivesgroupssuchasethnic,organization,
evenschoolsasenseofidentity
■Itgivesfamilyandpersonalidentityaswell

10. History Helps Us Understand People
■Peoplemakeupsocietyanditisveryhardto
testhowthatkindofgroupbehaveswhenitis
madeupof4billionpeople
■Historyactsasa“sociallaboratory”,oneof
thefewwaywecanhelppredictthefuture
behaviorofsuchalargegroup

11. Those That Study and Understand History
Become Good Citizens
■Itprovidesnationalidentity
■Providesexamplesofsuccess,moralityandof
coursetheexamplesoftheopposite
■Helpsusunderstandcurrentworldaffairsand
conflictsbyunderstandingtherootoftheproblems
■Providessupportformakingdecisionsand
encourages,“responsiblepublicbehavior,whether
asanationalorcommunityleader,aninformed
voter,apetitioner,orasimpleobserver.”

13. How do historians
reconstruct the past?
Historiansresearch, analyze, and
interpret various types of evidence to
come to conclusions about the past.
Archaeologistsanalyze artifacts to
draw conclusions about peoples’
beliefs, values, and daily life.

14. 1. How do historians
reconstruct the past?
Historians and Archaeologists study
artifacts to learn about prehistoric life.
Prehistory= period of time before writing
systems were developed; history was recorded
using poems , songs, stories and were passed
along orally by people
Artifact= objects made by people, such as
tools, weapons, clothing, etc.

20. 2. How does geography
influence how people live?
Geography is the study of the
environment and how people
survive where they live.

21. 3. What is a civilization?
Civilization –A highly organized society
that has developed systems of learning
(education), job specialization, religion,
government, culture, military, and an
economy.

22. 4. What are the characteristics of a
civilization?
Cities
Economic System
Government / Political
Systems
Belief Systems
Job Specialization
Public Works
Writing System
Art & Architecture

23. Characteristics of a Civilization
Cities

24. Characteristics of a Civilization
Economic Systems
HOW
PEOPLE
SURVIVE

25. Types of Economic Systems
Traditional Economy: people survive by
farming and producing their own food
Barter Economy: people survive by
exchanging goods and services
Capitalism: people survive by trading and
owning businesses; people have jobs and
buy what they need to survive;

26. Economic Vocabulary
Supply: goods or products that are
available for sale or consumption
Demand: what people need or want
Resources: products that are available
based on geography or location
Scarcity: a shortage of a product
How does scarcity affect the price of an item if
the demand is high?

27. Characteristics of a Civilization
Political Systems / Government
Rulersunite
their people
and run the
government
.
Bureaucracy: people that
assist the ruler in running
the government;
bureaucrats help make
laws, collect taxes, etc.

28. 5. What is the purpose of
political systems?
Political System = Government
HOW PEOPLE ARE RULED
What are the different types of government?
Democracy = rule by the people
Monarchy = rule by a king or queen
Dictator = person who rules by force
Which type of government is the best?

29. Characteristics of Civilization
Belief Systems of the
world today:
Belief Systems/ Religions
Monotheism Polytheism
Belief in one godBelief in many gods

30. Characteristics of Civilization
Job Specialization

31. Characteristics of Civilization
Public Works

32. Characteristics of Civilization
Writing Systems

33. Characteristics of Civilization
Art & Architecture