History is the process of interpreting a society. Throughout history, entire civilizations have emerged and fallen. As old ways of living are abandoned, new ones are fashioned. Hegel described history as the dialectic of social life, which generates strains and tensions as societies evolve. When these strains and tensions reach a certain point, society breaks down and another form of life emerges.

Many historians have taken a multidisciplinary approach in their studies. Some of these historians have merged history with other disciplines such as geography, political science, and economics. Others have tried to combine history with psychology, anthropology, and archeology. Others have attempted to integrate all these different disciplines by defining history according to individual actors and their interactions.

To create a history, historians use the primary and secondary sources of the period they study. Primary sources are the traces left by past societies. These sources are from that time period and are the raw materials of history. Historians then write these primary sources up as secondary sources. Once these are written up, they are transformed into history. A good historian will take the time to make careful analysis of the sources and to make sure that the details of the event are accurate.

History is a field of study that can benefit any career or area of study. When studied well, it can transform a person’s life. The University of the People provides a free and 100% online history degree program for people who want to learn about the past. The program is also suitable for students who want to earn a college degree without debt.

Many people choose to study history as a career, but many people also do so for personal pleasure. They feel the poetic appeal of history and the passion to know what really happened. As a result, many major tourist attractions are related to history. Historians are able to provide context to guidebooks and help make them accurate.

When it comes to research, historians use both primary and secondary sources, as well as historical objects. They use oral accounts, written documents, and artifacts to study human history. In addition, they use other disciplines to make a complete picture of a period. For instance, a historian might study the history of a particular country, race, or culture.

Historians study historical events by interpreting the human meanings that led to them. They study the past to give readers a better understanding of why some events were significant and why they occurred. For example, an historian might try to explain why the racial segregation in northern cities after World War II occurred. In addition to this, historians conduct substantial conceptual work to arrive at an appropriate vocabulary for describing the past.

There are several approaches to history, such as palaeography, economic history, and art history. Each of these approaches focuses on different aspects of human history. Some of these approaches take a global perspective and examine non-Western societies.