Definitions of History?

The term ‘history’ is derived from the Greek word ‘historia’ which means ‘information’ or ‘an enquiry designed to elicit truth’. It is just “man — his story” — the story of efforts to satisfy his craving for an orderly social life.

History has been defined by different scholars in different connotations. Though the words and languages used often are different in character, but, the implications are not so different fundamentally.

i. According to the earliest definition of Aristotle, “History is an account of the unchanging past.”

ii. According to Reniev, history can be termed as a study which is concerned with the human past.

iii. E. H. Carr gives a very beautiful definition of history. He says — history is an unending dialogue between the past and the present.

iv. Robinson thinks history could be used for overcoming the natural bewilderment of unfamiliar situation.

There is no universally agreed definition of history. It has been defined differently by different historians.

a) Burckhardt said, “History is the record of what one ages finds worthy of note in another.

b) Carlyle says, history is nothing but the bibliography of great men.

c) According to H. G. Wells, “Human history is in essence a history of ideas.”

d) Miller says, “The course of life is like a sea; men come and go, tides rise and fall, and that is all of history.”

e) Marc Bloch thinks that history is the science of men in time.

Some thinkers are of the view that “God manifested himself in history.”

1) According to Freud, “Historical records are a law of right and wrong.”

2) Jones thinks that history is a veritable mine of life experiences and the youth of today studies history.

3) Henry Johnson gives the view that history is a detailed account of the events that have taken place.

4) Pt. Nehru says, “History is the story of man’s struggle through the ages against nature and the elements; against wild beasts and the jungle and some of his own kind who have tried to keep him down and to exploit him for their own benefit.

5. Dr. Radhakrishnan says, “History is the memory of a nation or a race.”

6. The best definition which is scientific to a great extent, was given by Rapson. According to him, “History is a connected account of the course of events of progress of ideas.”

Related posts:

1. What is the Nature of History?
2. History ? What is Its New Concept
3. What is History?
4. What is history? I have written a thesis statement of this question for my ap class. Is it a good statement?
5. Limitations of History