INTRODUCTION TO HISTORY

WHAT IS HISTORY?

From now on we are going to study

History….but….What is History?

History is the study of the past

of human beings
 HISTORICAL PERIODS
A. Prehistory
1. The Paleolithic
- From 2,5 million of years ago to 10.000 BC.
- It started with the first human (Homo habilis).
He is the first toolmaker.
 2. The Neolithic
- From 10000 BC to 4000 BC.
- People began to farm. As a consequence, they
started to live in permanent settlements.
 3. The Metal Age
- From 4000 to 3000 BC. Tools were made of metal
 B. History:
- History begins around 3000 BC with the
invention of writing
 1. Ancient History
- From the 3000 BC (invention of writing) to the
collapse of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD.
- Slavery plays an important role in ancient societies.
 2. The Middle Ages
- From 476 AD to the European arrival to America in
1492.
- The society in Europe was based around the feudal
system. Islam was born in the Middle East.
 3. Modern Age
- From 1492 to the French Revolution in 1789.
- This is the era of absolutism (kings had
absolute power).
 4. Contemporary Age
- From 1789 to now. In this period several
revolutions empower common people. World
wars took place.
 HISTORICAL PERIODS

Continental Europe English-speaking countries

 HISTORICAL PERIODS

Invention of writing
3000 BC

PREHISTORY HISTORY
Paleolithic Neolithic Metal A Ancient A Middle Ages Modern Age Contemporary

Appearance of
human beings
2.5 m.y. ago Fall of the Roman
Empire French Revolution
476 1789

Fall of
Constantinople
1453
Spain 1492
 HOW DO WE MEASURE TIME?

YEAR: 365 DAYS

LUSTRUM: 5 YEARS

DECADE: 10 YEARS

CENTURY: 100 YEARS

AGE: SEVERAL CENTURIES

MILENNIUM: 1000 YEARS

 HOW DO WE MEASURE TIME?

What do the letters BC stand for?

The expression B.C. refers to years before Christ

What do the letters AD stand for?

The expression A.D. refers to years after Christ

(Annus Domini)
 HOW DO WE MEASURE TIME?

• The easiest way to find out in which century is a

year is to cover the units and tens and add one.
For example:
1453 1453 14+1 = 15 that means
that 1453 is
the 15th C

• Now, do the same for the years 1275, 2015, 73,

1899, and 123.

• Years finished in 00, the hundred indicates the

century. For example: 100 1st C.
ROMAN NUMBERS
 HOW DO WE MEASURE TIME?

To understand a story you must know what

things happened in, that is, the chronology.

The body in a room

There is a dead body on the floor in a room.
Someone screamed.
Someone went into the room.
Someone left a room

Murder?
Suicide?
Or just someone discovering a body?
 HOW DO WE MEASURE TIME?
Chronology is the study of exactly when things happened.

Chronological order means to put things in the

order that they happened.

Showing time

We can show time using a timeline. To

build a timeline you need a ruler to draw
a line, and indicate the number of years
you want using a scale (e.g. 1cm = 1
year)
 HOW DO WE MEASURE TIME?

Make your timeline showing 6 facts about

your:

- When were you born?

- When did you start playing a sport?
- When was your brother/sister born?
- When did you start secondary school?
- When did you start any other hobbie?
- etc.
 HOW DO WE STUDY HISTORY?

HISTORICAL SOURCES Any testimony(written, oral or material)

that allows the reconstruction of
historical facts.
 TYPES OF SOURCES

Primary: they are contemporary

to the facts.

HISTORICAL SOURCES

Secondary: they are later

than the facts.
TYPES OF SOURCES

Material: bone remains, archeological

sites, pottery, textiles, tools…

Written: every handwritten

document (letters, chronicles);
press (books, magazins,
newspapers) or inscriptions.

Oral: traditions, myths, leyends…

 AUXILIAR DISCIPLINES TO THE STUDY OF HISTORY

GEOGRAPHY

ECONOMY
PALEOGRAPHY
SOCIOLOGY

ANTROPOLOGY ARCHAEOLOGY

NUMISMMATIC

EPIGRAPHY
GENEAOLOGY HERALDRY
 THE STUDY OF HISTORY

WHAT IS IT?
(definition)

HOW?
HISTORICAL WHERE?
/WHY?
FACT

WHEN?
 THE STUDY OF HISTORY
ECONOMY
ECONOMY Producution and
distribution of goods
POLITICS
Organization and
distribution of power
SOCIETY
TYPES OF Study of the social
SOCIETY HISTORICAL POLITICS
groups and its
FACTS
relationships
CULTURE
Group of ideas and
values of a society
(religion, science,
traditions, ideology
CULTURE
and art)
 ECONOMY

POLITICS
SOCIETY

CULTURE