1. Introduction History: What it is and Why it is important (Yes, this will be on the test!) SO 101 World History

2. History is the study of all recorded human events. Mankind’s origins can be traced back to at least 2 million years. Modern man, that is like you and me, has been present for about sixty thousand years. But recorded history has been maintained for less than ten thousand years. All of recorded history is divided into 5 eras, however, in this year, we are only concerned with the most recent era, the one in which we currently live, THE MODERN ERA.

3. Why do we study history? There are a number of good reasons: History informs us of: Who we are. Where we came from and how we got here. Why the world we live in is the way it is now. Where we might be headed and how to make it happen or prevent it from occurring.

4. Why do we study history? History is inescapable. It is all around us. It involves all of us from the moment of birth to the hour of our death. This involvement goes far beyond the fact that we live in a world of great promise and, sometimes, great peril—remember 9/11? It is both great events and everyday occurrences. It also means that history involves us in other ways: The books we read. The movies we watch. The T.V. programs we view. Many of the works of art, music and theatre that we enjoy are all inspired by history.

5. Why do we study history? If we allow it to, the study of history will: Allow us to be more informed, intelligent and better rounded individuals. Be better citizens of the community, the nation and the world. Be constantly, amazed, amused and entertained by the unfolding pageant of history. It really is fun, if you give it half a chance. Also: you won’t get out of the freshman year without it! So, stay awake, take plenty of notes and ask plenty of questions and enjoy your year of history.

6. Sources of History Tasks of Historians (Also on the Test) SO 101 World History

7. Sources How do we know what we know about history? Historians, scholars who study history (including you, at the moment), rely on an number of different sources to pursue their work: Physical remains from earlier periods of history. These remains can be of humans (skeletons) or of objects made by humans. Objects made by humans are classified as Artifacts. The sciences of Paleontology and Archeology deal with the study of these two sorts of physical objects. Historians rely on both these sciences for information about earlier periods of history. Historians study the actual objects, photos of the same and written descriptions of them in forming their understanding of the past.

8. Oral Tradition Since history is the study of recorded human events, the records kept by man are of the greatest importance to historians and to history. The oldest sort of records kept by man were “word of mouth accounts” passed from one group to another and from one generation to the next. This is called “oral tradition.” It still goes on to day, most frequently in families where stories of how mom met dad or how great-grandfather rode with Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders or with Pancho Villa are passed on as a part of the family history.

9. Oral Tradition The biggest problem with oral tradition is accuracy. As the story is repeated, over time and space, its details tend to change. Some details are forgotten, others are invented. In the end the story has little, if any relation to the actual event, if there was an actual event. Fact gives way to legend. This is why the “history” of most of human existence is so spotty. Accurate records were not kept. It was less than 10,000 years ago that man devised systems of writing and with it written history. Historians rely most heavily on written records.

10. Written Sources: Primary There are two basic types of written sources available to historians, primary and secondary. A primary source is a first hand record or account of an historic event. Documents: Gettysburg Address, Declaration of War, etc. Diaries or letters: Diary of Louis XVI, letters home from a war. Reports written at the time by participants and witnesses. In addition to written statements, photographs, movie film and video recordings, radio broadcasts and electronic communications like emails are regarded as primary sources.

11. Written Sources Secondary A secondary source is one written about the event after it has taken place. It usually draws on primary sources as the basis for what is recorded in it. It may be written years, decades or centuries after the actual historical event it describes. It often contains analysis and interpretation of the event derived from the study of primary sources and the subsequent events of history. It will reflect the opinions and outlook of the author or authors.

12. Secondary Sources Examples of secondary sources include: Textbooks: Modern World History: Patterns of Interaction. Histories: Poseidon’s Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal. Biographies: John Adams. Documentaries: Victory at Sea. Dramatizations of histories and biographies and novels written in an historical setting may also serve as secondary sources: Band of Brothers. Gone with the Wind. All Quiet on the Western Front. Downton Abbey.

13. Roles of the Historian Historians perform several important functions: They help maintain the record of historical events. They analyze and interpret the causes and consequences of events. They attempt to put historical events into the context of other events that preceded or followed the event in question. Like scientists they seek to uncover the “facts” surrounding an event. But, unlike scientists, they often arrive at conclusions that reflect their own unique interpretations of how those facts shaped the history of the event. “History is an Art not a Science.” In History, there is always room for one more interpretation.

14. Historical Dates Every civilization has developed a unique system of dating important events. In China the reign of the first Emperor over 5, 000 years ago begins the Chinese Calendar. The Greeks used the First Olympics as the beginning of their Calendar. They measured time by Olympiads For the Romans it was the foundation of the city itself, the Year 1 Ab Urbem Condere. Western Civilization adopted a Calendar revolving around the birth of Christ, a key event in salvific history.

15. Historical Dates All events prior to Christ’s birth are recorded as B.C. (Before Christ.) All events from the birth of Christ to the Present are recorded as A.D. ( Anno Domini=In the Year of Our Lord.) The first century A.D. runs from 1-100 A.D, the second century from 101-200 A.D. and so on to the 21 st century, 2001-2100 A.D. Conversely, the 1 st century B.C. runs from 100 B.C. to 1 B.C. Since the exact date of Christ’s birth is actually not known the year 1 probably matches what we describe as 3 B.C.!

16. Historical Dates In the 20 th century, (1901-2000), the emergence of a global civilization led most countries to retain the western system of dating events but changing the terms to describe a system where a majority of the worlds population are non-Christian. A.D. becomes C.E. (Common Era) a time common to Christians and non-Christians. B.C. becomes B.C.E. ( Before the Common Era), a time when there were no Christians at all. In this class, we will continue to use A.D. and B.C.

17. Calendars In the west, the Roman civilization by its pre-eminence ordained the use of a 12 month calendar of 365 days. Since the Dictator Julius Caesar made the call, it became known as the Julian Calendar and it was used wherever the Romans ruled. However, over 16 centuries the calendar seemed to fall out of sync with the actual seasons, because the earth’s revolution around the sun takes about 365 ¼ days. In the 16 th Century A.D., the reigning Pope Gregory proclaimed a revised calendar which included a Leap Year day once in 4 years, he also removed over a week from one year to rebalance the calendar, modestly called the Gregorian Calendar.

18. Calendars Since this was occurring during the Protestant Reformation, Catholic countries adopted the Gregorian Calendar while Protestant countries and Orthodox countries kept the Julian system. The disparity between season and calendar continued to expand. By the 18 th century most western nations adopted the Gregorian standard, 2 weeks disappeared overnight. Russia remained tied to the Julian System until after the Russian Revolution of 1917. Atheist communists adopted a Catholic inspired calendar. Today the Gregorian Calendar is used everywhere for purpose of Commerce, Communication and Government.