History Notes Chapter 1 Class 10 Maharashtra Board

Historiography : Development in the West

1. Introduction to Historiography

• What is Historiography?
  • Historiography is the writing of critical historical narratives based on evidence.
  • It involves studying past events, their timeline, and their connections.
  • A historian is a scholar who writes these narratives.
• Historical Research
  • Aims to understand the sequence and links between past events.
  • Unlike science, historians cannot use lab experiments because past events cannot be recreated.
  • Historians rely on documents, artifacts, and other sources to study history.

2. Historical Research Method

• Steps in Historical Research:
  1. Collecting Information: Gather data from historical sources like documents or artifacts.
  2. Examining Sources: Check the authenticity of sources (e.g., paper type, writing style, or stamps).
  3. Formulating Questions: Ask relevant questions about the historical events.
  4. Formulating Hypotheses: Make educated guesses based on evidence.
  5. Comparative Analysis: Compare different sources to understand historical changes.
  6. Writing Narratives: Create a detailed story of the past based on findings.
• Supporting Disciplines:
  • Archaeology: Study of ancient remains.
  • Epigraphy: Study of inscriptions.
  • Numismatics: Study of coins.
  • Genealogy: Study of family lineages.
  • Linguistics: Study of languages in historical documents.
  • Manuscriptology: Study of old manuscripts.

3. Tradition of Historiography (1.1)

• What is the Tradition?
  • Writing critical historical narratives is called historiography.
  • Historians choose events based on their perspective and framework.
  • Not all past events are included; selection depends on the historian’s focus.
• Ancient Societies:
  • Ancient people did not write historiography but preserved history through:
    • Cave paintings, storytelling, songs, and ballads.
    • These methods passed down stories of ancestors’ lives and bravery.
  • Modern historiography considers these as historical sources.
• Earliest Records:
  • The Sumerian civilization (Mesopotamia) recorded events as early as 4500 B.C.E.
  • An inscription showing soldiers and a battle is displayed in the Louvre Museum, France.

4. Modern Historiography (1.2)

• Characteristics of Modern Historiography:
  1. Scientific Approach: Uses scientific methods, starting with relevant questions.
  2. Anthropocentric: Focuses on human actions, not divine interventions.
  3. Evidence-Based: Answers are supported by reliable sources like documents.
  4. Human Journey: Shows mankind’s progress through past events.
• Origins:
  • Modern historiography began with ancient Greek writings.
  • The term “History” comes from Greek, first used by Herodotus in his book The Histories (5th century B.C.E.).

5. Development of Scientific Perspective in Europe (1.3)

• Scientific Progress:
  • By the 18th century, Europe advanced in philosophy and science.
  • Scholars believed social and historical truths could be studied scientifically.
  • Focus shifted to objectivity (fairness) in history writing.
• Change in Universities:
  • Before the 18th century, European universities focused on divine phenomena.
  • In 1737, Gottingen University (Germany) created an independent history department.
  • Other German universities later became centers for historical studies.

6. Notable Scholars (1.4)

• René Descartes (1596-1650):
  • French scholar who stressed verifying historical documents critically.
  • His book Discourse on the Method said to doubt everything until proven true.
  • His ideas influenced scientific historical research.
• Voltaire (1694-1778):
  • French historian, real name François-Marie Arouet.
  • Believed history should include social traditions, trade, economy, and agriculture.
  • Considered the founder of modern historiography.
• Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831):
  • German philosopher who said history should be logical and show progress.
  • Introduced Dialectics: Analyzing events through opposites (e.g., Thesis vs. Antithesis leading to Synthesis).
  • His books include Reason in History and Encyclopaedia of Philosophical Sciences.
• Leopold von Ranké (1795-1886):
  • German historian who emphasized using original documents.
  • Stressed critical examination of all documents related to an event.
  • His books are The Theory and Practice of History and The Secret of World History.
• Karl Marx (1818-1883):
  • German thinker who said history is about class struggles.
  • Believed unequal access to resources (e.g., land, tools) causes conflicts between classes.
  • His book Das Kapital is widely referred to globally.
• Michel Foucault (1926-1984):
  • French historian who introduced the Archaeology of Knowledge method.
  • Said history should focus on transitions, not just chronological events.
  • Studied new areas like medicine, prisons, and mental health.
• Annales School (20th Century):
  • A French group of historians who focused on social, economic, and cultural history.
  • Studied climate, local people, agriculture, trade, and social psychology.
  • Moved history beyond kings, wars, and politics.
• Feminist Historiography:
  • Rewrites history from women’s perspectives, led by Simone de Beauvoir (French).
  • Focuses on women’s roles in work, family, trade unions, and society.
  • After 1990, women were seen as an independent social class in history.